“Reckless,” Elder Gold said.

“Of course, he is young,” Iromin said. “Have you forgotten your own youth?”

Elder Gold raised her brow. “What kind of recklessness have I undertaken in my youth?”

Iromin narrowed his eyes. “Well, perhaps you were not reckless in your youth, but most Iyrmen are.”

“He is no Iyrman.”

“Yet.”

Elder Gold sighed. “You are unbelievable. You did not even exercise your right on Elder Zijin.”

“He was laughing too hard.” Iromin popped the snack into his mouth.

“Are you not getting bored of bringing him up?” Elder Forest asked. “Or is it that you have fallen for him?”

“Mind your words, Elder Forest,” she spat.

“We should move on to the most important matter,” Chief Iromin said. “Who will possess Bronze Midnight?”

“Shall we offer it a reward for a tournament?” Elder Forest asked. “Though we should at least offer Okvar first rights to buy it.”

“No,” Elder Gold said. “It should remain within the Iyr to be used as a reminder to any future Shen.”

Elder Wrath sighed. “It does make the most sense.”

“You are too eager to war,” Elder Peace said, though she brushed his back gently to try and cheer him up.

“I didn’t expect the Shen to be so wise,” Elder Wrath admitted.

“You may lead the Iyrmen to fight in the coliseum,” Elder Peace offered.

Elder Wrath perked up. “I may?” He looked to Iromin.

“I would not dare to deny that right to you,” Iromin replied.

Elder Wrath howled with wild laughter. “Yes! I will show them their folly! May I take whoever I please?”

“As long as they are Mithril Rank or higher,” Iromin said.

“Take at least two Gold Rank with you,” Elder Peace said. “You must win all eleven bouts.”

“Then, may I have Bronze Midnight?” Elder Wrath asked.

“If you win all ten, yes,” Chief Iromin said.

Elder Gold shook her head. “Be careful, it could be a ploy.”

“I hope so,” Elder Wrath said, sighing wistfully.

Omen: 5, 10

Adam awoke, feeling a tenseness within his body. ‘Maybe I didn’t fight off the disease properly?’

He took it easy that day, playing sockball with the children, before he bathed in the cool stream under the beating sun.

“Jurot,” Adam said. “I just realised I don’t have enough money to buy plate mail.”

“You do not?” Jurot asked, recalling how he had so many great gems.

“I don’t want to spend most of my gems, so I won’t be able to afford it.”

“If you don’t want to spend gold, then of course you won’t have the ability to afford it.”

“Not what I meant, but I understand your point.” He sighed. “I should make a few more weapons and sell them. I really want plate mail before we go.”

Jurot grunted an affirmation in response.

“Oh! What if I enchant your javelins?” Adam recalled an enchantment for a javelin.

“They are not my main weapon,” Jurot said. “The axe you have enchanted is great enough.”

“Well, your family doesn’t just use an axe,” Adam said, noting the circle on Jurot’s forehead. “What about your shield?”

“My shield?” Jurot asked, having not expected Adam to mention it. He recalled all the times his father had told him about how the shield was as important as the axe. His face twitched slightly, pushing back the thoughts of his father’s status, as he had done so this entire time.

“Yeah. I could try and make it so it’s easier to don in combat, so you don’t have to waste much time.”

“That would be useful,” Jurot said, nodding his head. He could even use wood to create the shield.

Adam began to think deeply about the shield, wondering what kind of enchantments he could put on the shield. It was useful to defend oneself with a shield, but what if someone could deal damage with it? ‘A spike?’ he thought for a moment, before shaking his head. ‘No, that’s silly.’

“Magic is so useful,” Jurot said. “I understood that it was, but to see it in action beside you, and to have felt it with Cool Weapon.”

“Cool Weapon,” Adam whispered. “What if…”

1st

Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Sleep, Summon Familiar

2nd

Mirror Image, Suggestion

Adam noted his spells. ‘Mirror Image might be nice. It would make it difficult for someone to hit him.’ Then he noted the other spells. Adam smiled. Then he began to snicker. Finally, he started to laugh.

“Are you okay?” Jurot asked.

“Jurot, Jurot,” Adam said, slapping his knee. “Imagine someone wants to kill you, and after they hit your shield, you can tell them to stop and they will!” Adam thought it was the funniest thing, but Jurot and the others stared at him.

He eventually stopped laughing, and fell deeper into thought. “What about Thunderwave?”

“Thunderwave?”

“Yeah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Say someone hits your shield, and you can blast them back with a Thunderwave, or maybe thunderous might like another spell may.”

“Would it be loud?”

“Unfortunately so,” Adam said, but he noted Jurot smile slightly. “I don’t know the spell, though. Is there a chance there’s a Thunderwave scroll available to purchase in the Iyr?”

“I will check,” Jurot said.

“I’ll also need some ink and such to write it down into my book.”

Jurot nodded his head. “I will deal with it.” He was too caught up with thinking about how he could cast such a great spell through his shield. ‘Yes, my shield will protect me, and destroy my enemies.’

When Adam returned back to the estate, adorned in his Iyrman clothing, Sonarot marched up to him and held onto his face, staring into his eyes. Adam felt her warm hands, and stared up at her with a questioning look, but Sonarot’s eyes scanned his face. She noted Jurot wasn’t here.

Sonarot held onto Adam’s face, staring into his eyes. “Are you going to enchant today?”

Adam stared into her eyes, sweating nervously. “No?” Adam replied, unsure of his own words. “I don’t feel particularly lucky.”

“Good,” she said, brushing his cheek. “Are you feeling well today?”

“I feel fine,” Adam said, feeling his brow begin to fill with sweat. ‘Does she know?’

Eventually, Jurot returned, with some ink and a spell scroll. “You will need to hand in one hundred and ten gold by the end of the day.”

“I’ll do just that.”

Sonarot stared down at him suspiciously.

“I’m just going to copy a spell into my book, nothing else,” Adam said.

“Very well.”

Adam went into the Rot house and began to copy in the spell into his book. It required a couple of hours of concentration as the knowledge was pushed into his mind.

Once he stepped out, he saw Elder Zijin appear, walking over to Jurot. “Jurot, did you take out a Thunderwave spell scroll?”

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

‘Uh oh.’

“Why?”

“For Adam,” Jurot said, motioning to the half elf.

Elder Zijin turned to look at Adam. “Where is the spell scroll?”

Adam began to sweat. “I, uh, used it.”

“You used it? How?” Elder Zijin raised his brows, expectantly. “I saw that some ink was brought too. Did you… learn it?”

“That’s right,” Adam said. “Is that bad?”

Elder Zijin narrowed his eyes, trying to think deeply on the matter. “I don’t think so, but I will need to speak with Elder Gold.”

Adam exchanged a look to Jurot, who caught Adam’s eyes, but even he wasn’t sure what was happening.

Elder Zijin quickly left, going to find Elder Gold, who bolted at the mention that Adam potentially did something wrong.

“Adam,” she said, marching in, wearing her beautiful armour, the symbol of Death painted across her chest.

“Elder Gold,” he said, smiling at her. “It’s great to see you.”

“We’ll see about that,” she replied, glancing around, noting Sonarot, who had quickly taken to Adam’s side.

“Is something the matter?” Sonarot asked, placing a hand on Adam’s shoulder, rubbing it gently.

‘Oh no,’ Adam thought. ‘This is definitely bad.’

“Did you learn Thunderwave through the scroll?” Elder Gold asked.

“Yes,” Adam replied.

“Even if you are a nephew of the Rot family, there are certain things you can and cannot do,” she said. “Learning a spell through a scroll is something only I can allow.”

Jurot squinted slightly, and very quickly his brow began to wet with sweat.

“I’m sorry,” Adam said. “I didn’t know.”

“No. You don’t know much about the Iyr, do you?”

“Only a few things,” Adam admitted. “I, unfortunately, wasn’t born here.”

“No,” she said, smiling slightly. “You weren’t.”

Adam squinted slightly, hearing the condescension in her voice. “Still, I am very fortunate to have been invited to be the nephew of the Rot family.”

Elder Gold noted him returning fire, and straightened up. “This is a serious matter, Adam.”

“I’m sure it is,” he said. “I did something wrong, and I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions.”

“Good,” Elder Gold said. “I will ask you to reveal the spells you know.” Elder Gold knew that Adam was a certain type of magic user, and there may be some spells he’d have in his possession that they would not have within the Iyr, even at his level.

Adam nodded his head slowly, and recounted his spells.

Elder Gold remained staring down at him. “What?” she said.

Elder Zijin stared at Adam. “Adam, it would not be good for you to lie.”

Adam pulled back slightly. “What? Why would I lie about the spells I have.”

“You know Mirror Image and Suggestion?” Elder Gold asked. ‘No, that’s not the question to ask.’

“Yeah,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders.

“How do you know Healing Word, Hex, and Summon Familiar all at once?”

“What do you mean?”

“The combination of spells you suggested is nearly impossible to know,” Elder Zijin said, glancing at Elder Gold.

“Jurot,” Elder Gold said, causing the boy to shoot upright like an arrow. “Go and bring a Shaman.”

Jurot quickly scrambled away.

“Jurot!” Elder Gold called out.

“Yes, Elder Gold?” Jurot skid to a halt and stood upright again.

“Bring a Medicine Master of Baktu as well,” she called.

When the pair arrived, and they listened to his spell list, they both tilted their heads.

“He cannot have that combination of spells,” they confirmed.

“Oh,” Adam said. “That’s because I’m not an ordinary mage.”

They stared at him, wondering how he had the gall to show off to them.

“I don’t mean it like that,” Adam said, quickly noting how arrogant he sounded. “I’m not…” Adam looked back to Sonarot. “I’m not sure I can say.”

Sonarot nodded her head. “The Chief knows of what he speaks of.”

“It is not the Chief who is speaking to him,” Elder Gold said.

“You don’t have to tell the story if the Chief doesn’t require it,” Sonarot stated, firmly. “I will not have you interrogate Adam when he has been so kind to us.”

“This is not an interrogation,” Elder Gold said. “I am merely meting out punishment, as is within my right.”

“Alright, relax,” Adam said, raising his hands. “My spells are unique in the sense that I gain spells like a learned mage, but I can access spells from everywhere, from Medicine Men, to Shamans, to Guardians, like yourself.”

Elder Gold almost scoffed, before recalling everything she knew about him. ‘He might be telling the truth.’

“Adam has been assisting our family for some time now,” Sonarot said. “He has created two magical items for my family, and is creating a third.”

“A third?”

“Yeah, a shield,” Adam said.

“The items he has sold previously, he has also given a share to my Jurot.”

Elder Gold glanced to Jurot. “You can make magical items?”

“No,” Jurot replied, as calm as he could.

“I do,” Adam said. “He creates the wooden parts of the item, I create the rest, usually, and enchant them. Then he gets a cut of the profits, two tenths.”

“Why does he get so much?”

“I say it’s because I can’t create the wooden parts and that it’s for his expertise in knowing what a great weapon is, but it’s mostly because he’s my friend.”

“Brother,” Sonarot said, clearly.

“That too.”

“A brother? I thought you were a nephew of the family?” Elder Gold looked to Sonarot.

“He is Jurot’s brother,” she said.

“Is that true?” Elder Gold’s cold gaze fell onto Jurot.

Jurot stared up at Elder Gold, his eyes slightly narrowed. He remained silent for a long while, deep in thought.

“It’s a simple question, isn’t it?” Elder Gold asked, casting a suspicious glance back at Adam and Sonarot.

Jurot swallowed. He still wasn’t sure if he should call Adam his brother. He hadn’t known Adam for long, and he was quite weird, but he was certainly kind to the Iyrman. He was especially kind to his mother and baby sister, and even played with Turot. Not just Turot, but also the other children, and was polite to his friends.

“He,” Jurot began after swallowing deeply, “had the option to run.”

Elder Gold’s eyes fell back onto Jurot.

“The earth was closing around me, and he had cleared the jump when I did not.” Jurot blinked, recalling the scene. “He called for me and followed me down. I wouldn’t have died, but I could have. He had the option to remain behind, just like when mother was ill. If mother says he is my brother, then he is my brother. If he is not my brother, Elder Gold, what is he?”

Elder Gold nodded her head. “Then there is no need for his punishment.” She couldn’t pursue the matter further since Jurot had said so much. “Why did you need the spell?” Elder Gold eventually asked the half elf.

“I needed Thunderwave to empower his shield. I was going to make him able to cast it through his shield.”

Elder Gold was starting to get tired of being surprised by his ridiculous statement. “How much would that cost?”

‘How much would it cost?’

[Four hundred gold.]

“About four hundred gold, in gems, of course.”

“Why in gems?” Elder Gold asked.

Adam tried not to respond like a snarky little brat. “I need the gems to enchant the shield.”

“How much would the Rot family pay you?”

“Nothing,” he said.

Elder Gold narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“They’ve been very nice to me, I don’t want to charge them.”

Elder Gold. “What about for the Iyr?”

“Uh,” Adam said, narrowing his eyes. “Supply the shield, the gems, and then pay me a fair price after I enchant it.”

“You don’t have a price in mind?”

Adam shrugged. “I don’t think you’ll stub me on payment, and even if you did, what am I going to do?”

“We will not stub you on payment,” Elder Gold said, assuming what he meant.

“Then I will ask you to make a Thunderwave shield when you are done with Jurot’s.”

“Alright,” he said. “So I’m not in trouble?”

“No,” she said. “You’re not.”

“Don’t be too sad, I might slip up again,” Adam said, chuckling. Upon seeing Elder Gold’s face, he fell silent.