Adam hiccuped, sipping away at the peachy alcohol. “You guys ain’t so bad, you know!”

  “How will I bee the Chief when your sister will bee the Chief?” Timojin sniffled, drowning himself in alcohol.

  Amokan was about to reply, only to fall back as he passed out, the cup slipping from his grasp.

  Shikan sighed, watg the trio as they had bonded over their drinks. ‘Should I dey their departure?’ he thought, w what his wife would have done. ‘Darling, e home soon.’

  Tijin pletely ignored his son, instead sharing a drink with Shikan and Jogak. All three of them were the Seds of their families, though Shikan was actually meant to be the First of his family, but his wife was far more wild.

  “We have to let them go freely,” Jogak said, even though it pained for him to say that. “At least your boys will be with Ilyakan.”

  “She is intelligent and wise,” Shikan admitted.

  “She might very well bee the First of the main branch,” Tijin said. “Hajin should be able to take over as First if she puts in the work.”

  “Damn it!” Jogak sipped the rest of his wine. “Why did he have to seduce my daughter, that elvish bastard!”

  “It’s the horns,” the pair replied.

  “I’ll kill him!”

  The pair spped the back of his head, causing him to sober up.

  “You’ve drunk too much,” Tijin said, pig up the witle and finishing off the rest. “How fortunate you are, to have such a fine enter to help your daughter.”

  “Hey, Citool is also fortunate,” Jogak said.

  The trio sighed.

  “Should I ask on behalf of Amokan?” Tijin asked.

  “No,” Shikan replied. “Ilyakan will be beside him, and that alone should be enough.”

  Tijin sighed. “Let us hope they return safely, those foolish boys of ours.”

  “What about my daughter?” Jogak grumbled.

  “Your daughter was smart enough to join Jurot and Adam,” Shikan remihe devilkin.

  “Why is it that the girls of that geion are smarter than the boys?” Tijin grumbled. “They’re so hard to deal with.”

  “That’s just how the dice rolls sometimes,” Shikan said, sighing.

  “Citool is so lucky with her daughter,” Jogak said. “She’s so sweet and polite.”

  The men heir heads, sharing more drinks with one another.

  “I want to be the Chief!” Timojin cried, smming the floor beside him, finishing the rest of his wine.

  “If Lanarot doesn’t want to bee Chief, you two keep fighting over it,” Adam said.

  “Really?” Timojin sniffled.

  “Sure!” Adam decred. “Lanarot bee whatever she wants!” He raised his cup and drank the rest of it.

  stitution SaveD20 + 5 = 20 (15)

  Jurot watched as Adam embarrassed himself in his drunkenness. He sat with his mother, who was knitting a b, Kitool, and Jaygak. Citool ending the night looking after Lanarot.

  “Isn’t he to already?” Jaygak said. “It’s not fair.”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Lucy said, sitting behind them all, ying down as she stared at the skies. “Why does he know so much magic when he’s already det with a sword? That should be my thing! I’m obviously the main character!”

  “Everyone is the main character of their own story,” Kitool said.

  “I know, but that’s not fair. It should be me, the future Demon Lord!” Lucy coughed as she almost choked on her drink, having drunk it while ying down.

  “I just hope he doesn’t do anything too crazy while you all adventure,” Sonarot said. “He’s not like you all. You were all taught some sense, being born in the Iyr, but he’s not from around here.”

  Jurot gowards his mother before looking back at the girls, who he look, uanding that the pair knew something they didn’t.

  “He did say something about challenging the gods, and how he doesn’t want them b him in this life,” Jaygak said.

  “We should wait for him to speak with us,” Kitool said. “There is o rush such matters.” Even so, even she couldn’t help but be ied in what Adam had to say.

  “Please take good care of my boys,” Sonarot said, brushing their hair. “Jurot, make sure you look after these two too.”

  “Yes, mother,” Jurot said.

  Sonarot noted him falling into thought, which was rare for the boy, a him alone.

  Soon the Iyrmen all retired. Shikan checked owo boys, who were passed out to one side, and Tijin checked on the Demon Lord, who was sn lightly uhe stars. He noted she was just pretending, and she hat he he matter, but Tijin showed her kindness by leaving.

  Jurot checked on Turot, who was sug on his thumb as he slept, dreaming the greatest of dreams. The Iyrman then sat up against the wall.

  Adam ed the b around himself, but noted Jurot sitting in thought, able to see him with his half elf eyes. ‘I should leave him to his thoughts’ Adam thought, closing his eyes.

  “Thank you, Adam,” Jurot whispered.

  “For what?” Adam replied, but he noted Jurot had closed his eyes, refusing to eborate any further. ‘What did I do?’

  Outside, Amokan and Timojin y uhe stars. Amokan had mao awaken from his druupor, his nap having refreshed him slightly.

  Timojin grunted quietly. “We won’t be able to bee Chief if we’re weaker than him.”

  “I don’t think he wants to bee Chief,” Amokan replied, but he felt the same as Timojin.

  “You believe him?”

  “I do,” Amokan admitted.

  Timojin grunted quietly again. “Even so…”

  Amokan recalled the feeling of beien by Adam. He had a great showing against Jurot, which would be known even if Timojin mao nd the st hit. However, against Adam, he hadn’t done well. “Unrivalled Uhe Heavens,” he whispered.

  Timojin’s lips twitched into a smirk. ‘Unrivalled Uhe Heavens.’ Even hearing the phrase, there was a romahin it.

  Adam didn’t uand what he had doh his boyish, embarrassing outburst. The phrase had quickly engulfed the ey of the Iyr, and had fuelled the fmes within the Iyrmen who had heard it, especially those from the smaller branches.

  He had left too quickly after being sed by the children, having recalled what he had said before the fight had begun. Jurot had remained behind to greet his extended family, whereas Sonarot and Lanarot had followed Adam, joining him in expl the food of the festival.

  ‘Are you going to kiss?’ Lucy thought, staring at the two handsome Iyrmen as they rexed uhe sky. ‘e on!’ She urged with her mind, but the pair just y there. ‘Damn it!’

  Omen: 6, 18

  Mana: 8 -> 5EntingD20 + 7 = 21 (14)

  Adam had thought about expending his Omen, but sidering that he hadn’t begun work oaff, he thought he could use the Omen for the staff instead. He would no doubt be swarmed by Iyrmen if he showed himself, so he returo grab the staff and the gem, before returning to ent.

  ‘Wait. My Mana has been redug too quickly retly…’

  He rested first, w how angry Sonarot would be. ‘I’ll deal with it in the evening.’

  Mana: 5 -> 7

  Mana: 7 -> 1EntingD20 + 7 = 12 (5)Omen: 6, 18 -> 618 + 7 = 25

  Jurot tossed the axe towards the target, but it slipped out of his hand behind him, almost striking his mother and Lanarot, though the woman crossed her arm over the girl as it struck her arm.

  Jurot stared at her in shock. “Mother!” he gasped, full of shock.

  “Are you alright, Jurot?” Sonarot asked as a Medie Man was quickly called to heal her.

  “Mother, I…”

  Sonarot pulled him in close. “It’s okay.” She kissed his forehead. “You were deep in thought, weren’t you?”

  Jurot was red and cold, full of embarrassment. He had been thinking about how he was so much weaker than Adam, that he’d be uo defeat the half elf if they had fought. It had irked him, and he was itg to leave the Iyr to prove himself. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s alright,” Sonarot said, kissing his forehead again. “It’s not like you could have killed me.”

  “I could have killed Lanarot.”

  “With me proteg her?” Sonarot raised her brow. “When did you bee so cheeky?” She pulled his cheek.

  It was te in the evening when Adam returned, noting the others were awake. He tried to avoid Sonarot, but his guilty feet marched towards her. He he bandage along her arm, w what had happened, but he wasn’t going to be rude enough to ask when he was in trouble.

  “Everyone wao speak with you,” she said, tapping the seat beside her, which was covered in a b with the Rot family symbol. Lanarot drank from her mother, her eyelids half shut.

  “I’m sure,” Adam replied, sitting down beside them. “I would have been too embarrassed, though.”

  Sonarot smiled, brushing his hair. “Did you finish enting the sword?”

  “I did.”

  “What does it do?” Jaygak asked, leaning in, her eyes beaming with excitement.

  Bloodseeker (Longsword)You gain a +1 bonus to attad damage rolls made with this on.Deals 2D6 sshing damage. When you reduce a creature to 0, your hit deals an additional 2D6 sshing damage.

  Jaygak stared at the sword, noting how the red gem whied the hilt was more vibrant than before. “This is for me?” she asked, staring at Adam, unsure if she should accept such a great on.

  “Obviously,” Adam replied. ‘It gave me so much XP too.’

  Jaygak took the on from him, rubbing a hand along the bde. She remained silent, but she heard Kitool clear her throat from beside her. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be cashing in that favour one day,” Adam said, smirking at her. “I started your on too.”

  “Thank you,” Kitool replied, bowing her head.

  “I was really lucky in enting today, so I mao ent your on too, but I’ll need more time.”

  Kitool just bowed her head.

  “So what happeo your arm anyway?” Adam asked, staring at the bandages.

  “Deep thought,” Sonarot said.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I am fine.”

  “Wao heal you? I still have some Mana.”

  “It has bee with,” she said, brushing his hair.

  “Alright.” Since she didn’t want to say, he would respect her decision.

  “Hey, Jurot,” Adam whispered in he night when they were about to sleep.

  “Yes?”

  “What happeo aunt’s arm?”

  Jurot fell silent, and Adam he young Iyrman wince.

  ‘Why won’t aell me?’

  Omen: 4, 19

  Mana: 8 -> 7EntingD20 + 7 = 10 (3)Omen: 4, 19 -> 419 + 7 = 26 (19)

  Jurot wrestled with another Iyrman, full of frustration. As the Iyrman grabbed around his neck, Jurot tensed his neck, before he mao himself around the Iyrman’s thigh and he rolled over on top of them, managing to sp out of their headlock, before pinning them under him. He roared like a mighty lion after having won the bout, managing to lose some of the guilt from hurting his mother.

  Omen: 6, 18

  Mana: 8 -> 7EntingD20 + 7 = 25 (18)

  XP: 1300 -> 800XP: 800 -> 1400XP: 1400 -> 1600

  Adam had spent the st two days enjoying the quietness of the festival, skipping all the challenges which most people were excited for. He didn’t want to meet with strangers while he was receiving so much attention for his embarrassing fight earlier.

  When night had e, Adam hahe staff over to Kitool, who thanked him before admiring it.

  Seekerstaff (Quarterstaff)You gain a +1 bonus to attad damage rolls made with this on.Deals 2D6 bludgeoning damage. tains 3 charges. Spend 1 charge to mark a target you see within 30’ of you for 1 hour. You will know the dire of the target for 1 hour. You may only choose oarget, and expend an additional charge to increase the duration by 1 hour. Regains 1d3 charges every dawn.

  Kitool was surprised to hear how powerful the staff was. After all, it was about as powerful as Jaygak’s bde, though it held a different ability within it. ‘So that is what you expect from me.’ Kitool bowed again, thanking him once again.

  “Hey, hey,” Adam said, smiling awkwardly. “There’s no need for that between we friends, alright?”

  “We should speak about our departure,” Jurot said.

  “Right. When were you pnning on leaving?” Adam asked.

  “inally, we were to leave tomorrow m,”

  Tomorrow m,” Kitool replied.

  “Oh, jeez. That’s quick.”

  “e on! I want to use my new sword!” Jaygak said, excitedly, rubbing the hilt of her ented sword.

  Adam he looked in their eyes, which was eager to leave, but they stared at him. Adam’s eyes fell to the tiny little girl who was sleeping i beside her mother. ‘Why did I spent all this time enting? I should have spent it spoiling Lanarot!’ Adam cursed himself. ‘Well, it’s not like I could do much when she’s so young…’

  “Alright,” Adam said. “Let’s leave tomorrow m.” He sighed, thinking about how he should have spent more time enjoying the festival. ‘ime I duel, I won’t say anything te.’

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