It was bot like the night, but like that of ominous death. The various bcks each swirled across the bde’s edge, leaving streaks like the night sky upon the bde. The handle of the axe was also made of a bck wood, which Jurot would be able to surmise, and the dark leather around the handle g to it like a sed skin.

  “Deathsteel,” Adam said, keeping his fingers csped together, too afraid to reach for the axe. Even from where he sat, he could feel the oppressive aura of the bde.

  “Onted, those sin by such steel ot be revived with simple spells,” Zijin stated firmly, his voice dark.

  Adam stared at the bde, swallowing slightly. His eyes met the Elder’s.

  “Ent it with whatever you wish, and once you have pleted your task, the Iyr will retain the bde.”

  “Okay,” Adam replied, reag for the handle, feeling the soft leather against his hand, his hand almost stig to it, through a supernatural property of the leather, or through his own greed, the half elf wasn’t certain. ‘It’s heavy.’

  “Adam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “This matter is within the purview of the Rot family. My hands, as the Elder, are tied. Though I wish to do more, the Reavers will soon be upon us. I am sorry, this is all I do for you.”

  “Thank you, Elder Zijin. This is already enough.” Adam stared at the bde, before his lips twitched into a frown. “No, there’s something else.”

  “I know,” Zijin replied. “As long as I am an Elder, you do not o worry of your family.”

  “Then I hope that you remain the Elder for a long while,” Adam said.

  “I will also inform my successor of how to treat them too, you do not have to worry.”

  “Your successor is going to have se boots to fill,” Adam said, chug lightly. He smiled as Zijin tried to uand the idiom. “I should get to work, Elder.”

  “I will escort you.”

  As they made their way to the shrine, Adam could feel the chill against his hand, and the burning of his muscles w to carry the bde. ‘I’m not sure how much time I have…’

  The shrine was tucked some ways away from the Main Iyr, through a winding tunnel, in its own intimate er. It was made of six sturdy standing stones, encirg a rge patterned floor, the entire area engraved with a symbols Adam still couldn’t prehend. The sun shone from above, providing them with light and warmth, and its power.

  Adam’s eyes fell across the different symbols, the stones, and the floor. He closed his eyes, recalling the past.

  “It was a little after we first met,” Adam said, recalling the se. “I remember being in awe of these stones. I remember being really cheeky to you about the Iyr and its secrets too.”

  Zijin smiled, also recalling the se. The pair stood for a short while, enjoying the moment together. The Elder pced a hand on Adam’s shoulder, squeezing it tenderly, before leaving the half elf alone, or rather, uhe watchful eye of another Iyrman.

  Adam dropped down to his knees, holding onto his amulet. “This time, it’s different.” Adam felt the chill of his obsidian amulet run through his fingers, the half elf shuddering lightly as the sharp chill ran through even to his bones. A small smile crossed his lips, but it did not reach his eyes.

  Baktu’s attentiourned back to the world, and Adam began his enting. It was just the one axe, for the Iyr could not risk multiple copies of such a bde to exist.

  Once he applied the first day of entments upon the on, Adam returned in the early evening, with Konarot almost tag him as he stepped through the archway.

  “What’s the matter?” Adam asked, his eyes following her darting tail. He pulled her up, kissing her cheek, and carried her within an arm as he ruffled the hair of the younger pair of his triplets. Kirot and Karot each reached for the hem of his shirt as they walked alongside him.

  “Daddy, I missed you so much,” Jirot said, reag out her arms, her hands opening and closing.

  “You won’t even bully me now?” Adam asked, lifting the girl up with an arm, settling himself down beside his son. Konarot pulled away from her father, and assisted little Jarot in sitting upon his father’s p, brushing her younger brother’s hair to the side slightly.

  “No,” Jirot replied shyly.

  “You keep bullying your father, it’s okay.” Adam kissed the tops of his twins’ heads, cuddling them close. ‘Oh, you silly little girl, you bully me as much as you like!’

  “You are w, daddy?”

  “I’m w a little bit this month,” Adam said, rog with his children within his arms. “Daddy o make sure the business is going to run well until you all i it.”

  Jirot whimpered lightly, before her father pulled her in closer, and little Jarot also snuggled up to his father’s chest.

  “Daddy is going to have a special surprise for you all during the festival.”

  “Surprise?” Jirot asked.

  “That’s right. A surprise for my adorable little children. I know you and Jababy will love it most, because it’s mostly a surprise for you.”

  “I want to know the surprise!”

  “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise!” Adam bleberries against her neck, and kissed all along her ned cheek, doing the same to his son. His heart swelled, though the darkness remained, settled deeply within.

  As Adam waited for Jurot, he pyed with the rest of the children. He lifted Gurot up, groaning loudly, before holding him against his chest. “Since when did you bee so ky?”

  Gurot smiled his toothy smile, before he gnced away. “No…”

  “Ah? You’ve always been ky? That’s right!” Adam ruffled the boy’s hair, swaying from side to side as he hugged his cousin. “Even when you were just a little baby, you were so ky. What a good boy, eating so well. Your little brother is also eating so well, isn’t he?”

  Murot flushed slightly, the boy rushing away to his mother, who lifted him up a her close to him. While he did, Kavgak walked up to Adam fidently, grabbing the hem of his shirt, gring up at the half elf.

  “Yes, Kavgak?”

  “Reading.”

  “You wao read?”

  “Okay,” Kavgak said, agreeing to her own demand, before st off to find a book for her cousin to read.

  While Adam pyed with the younger children, Turot sat with his nied nephew, holding them close to his chest. His mother had told him not to speak of that matter with the children, nor any tales of death, sihey were still so sensitive. However, he could still hold them close, couldn’t he?

  ‘You do not have to worry! When I am Elder Peace, I will deal with the Aldish!’

  “Papo Turot?” Jirot called.

  “Jirot!” Turot replied eagerly, causing the girl to jolt, before her face torted to cry.

  “Turot, speak calmly to the children,” Sonarot said, taking the g twins from her nephew’s grasp, soothing them ess.

  “I did not mean to make them cry.”

  “I know. Jirot, Jarot, he did not mean to shout. Turot…”

  “Sorry…” Turot blushed slightly, the annoyance building within him.

  “Look at our Turot,” Adam called, reag over to ruffle his hair. “Do you see, Gurot? Your brother, even though it was an act, he still apologised. Asorot, do you see how amazing your brother is?”

  “I know,” Asorot replied, smiling slightly, the boy beside his elder brother.

  “Of course, since you’re Nirot’s brothers, you’re all so well behaved, just like her,” Adam said. “Should I call her back from the business?”

  “Sister is w hard at the business!” Turot replied eagerly once more, his eyes beaming with pride. “I will work hard in the Iyr to watch over my nephews!”

  “Do you see that, Jirot, Jarot?” Adam asked. “Your papo, he’s growing up so well. I’m so gd, since my cousins are so dependable in watg over my children, I don’t have to worry at all, isn’t that right?”

  Shikan threw a look to Sonarot, raising his brows, and the woman slowly bowed her head, causing him to sigh. ‘Adam…’

  “Will you watch over Virot and Damrot the same?”

  “I will,” Turot assured.

  “Damrot, my boy, should I read to you?” Adam asked, throwing a look to Damrot, who gnced up towards the half elf upon hearing his he boy blinked, smiling slightly, before leaning forward, onto all fours, crawling over to the half elf.

  Adam gasped, frozen in pce as the boy crawled to him, babbling and squealing at the half elf. “Damrot! You’re crawling? How amazing! Look at you, crawling so fidently!”

  “He crawled after his nap,” the older Jarot said, doing nothing to hide the smirk upon his lips.

  “No oold me?”

  “Who would dare to tell you when I wish to tease you?”

  “You! Damrot, you kept this a secret from me too?” Adam asked, staring down at the boy, whose smile was so pure and i. Adam hoisted him up, pnting kisses all over his cheek. “You! I five you, because you’re so cute, and because you’re my adorable son.”

  “Will you steal him when his father is not here?”

  “Eh?” Adam asked, his eyes darting about. “Where’s Jurot? Where’s your daddy, Damrot?”

  Damrot smiled ily, befng around, finding his mother, squealing with delight.

  “Close enough, I suppose.”

  How Damrot keep it a secret?

  Of course we'll five him.