Omen: 3, 15

“You are a very strong man,” Turot said, patting Adam’s head.

“Very strong,” Taygak said, patting his head too.

Adam sat down during breakfast, unsure what was happening. He was surrounded by the children, who were all patting his head and complimenting him on his strength. His eyes caught Sonarot’s, asking her for help.

“Chief Iromin had come in the morning while you were training,” she said. “He brought the weapons which you had won, and he gave the children a few words.”

“What words?”

“How lucky you are to have such a strong Cousin,” she said.

“That was it?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“That was easy.” Adam hadn’t expected his relationship with the children to be repaired so simply.

The children sat and ate with him, offering him their favourite foods. He accepted, only to hand some of his own to them. Damokan and Kalokan both offered him their hot milk, though he refused.

‘So that’s what they like,’ Adam thought, making a mental note of it. ‘At least they’ll enjoy the sugar.’

“Hey,” Lucy called. “You okay?”

“I’m okay,” Adam replied. “You?”

“I’m fine.” She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. “You sure you’re okay? You’re not doing that thing when you say you’re okay but you’re actually not okay, and then you’ll suffer alone because you think that’s cool?”

Adam stared at the Demon girl for a moment, wondering why she would press the matter. “Well, maybe I am a little not okay, but I think I’m fine. I’m still annoyed I lost my baby.”

“Your baby?”

“My precious Phantom,” Adam said. “He must be so lonely all by himself. It feels so weird not having him by my side too. And…”

“And what?”

“And now I’m the only one who doesn’t have a cool magical weapon! How is it that I, who made the magical weapons, don’t have a magical weapon? It’s not fair! Even my adorable baby sister has a magical weapon!”

“Why don’t you just use her weapon then?” Lucy asked.

“Well,” Adam said. “Maybe, I don’t know. Jurot was the one who was meant to warm it up for her, so I don’t want to take that away from him. Though, I do have some luck today…” ‘No. I should make a magical weapon to sell off, and then in Dawnval I’ll make my own.’

Adam hoisted himself up after a light breakfast, and stretched out his arms and back. “I guess I’ll enchant some today.”

“Already back to work?” Sonarot asked. He had spent the last two days fighting, which was considered work. ‘Why is he so eager to always work so hard?’

“I’ve got nothing better to do,” Adam said.

“Adam,” Taygak called. “I tell story, okay?”

“Okay?” Adam replied. “When.”

“Dark time, okay?”

“Okay,” Adam said, smiling. “I’ll be sure not to spend too long enchanting then.”

He checked the weapons which had gained through the bet, and picked the mundane axe which Elder Gold had lost. ‘Since I’ve got this axe from her, I might as well enchant it. It looks to be made of something cool, though.’

It was fairly light, and the blade dark, speckled with silver. The wood was white, and no doubt Jurot would have something to say about it.

“That is a good wood,” Laygak said. “Iyr ash. Dense, but lightweight.”

“Oh, right. You’re a wood nerd too, just like him.”

Laygak assumed that Adam was talking about Jurot, and nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“I was thinking about enchanting this axe,” Adam said. “Do you have any ideas about what I should enchant it with?”

Laygak wasn’t sure why Adam was asking him, but took the opportunity to grow closer to the Half Elf. “You could enchant it with something similar to that of your Phantom.”

“Hmm,” Adam said, staring down at the axe. “Sure. I’ll do just that. Thanks, Laygak.”

Laygak responded with a nod of his head, watching as Adam returned back to Lanarot to hug her and kiss her.

“Are you trying to fight with me?” Naqokan asked.

“No,” Laygak replied. “He is not into men. I just wish to grow closer with him. I know that he will be the key to the rise of the Gak family during this generation, and the next.”

“He says that friendship is transactional, so what will you offer?”

“Jaygak,” Laygak replied.

The pair smiled at Laygak’s joke.

“I do not know what to offer, but he has asked for my ability in woodcarving. I will do my best to assist him, and I will try to earn my keep in whatever way I can.”

“It is rare to find a Nephew or Niece who wishes to integrate themselves with the families, and yet remain distant to the Iyr,” Naqokan said.

“I will not pretend to understand him,” Laygak said, watching as Adam left, axe in hand. “I believe it is too difficult to understand someone like him.”

“He is simple to understand,” Naqokan said. “Much simpler than we can imagine.”

“What have you figured out?”

“He…” Naqokan began, staring at the Half Elf as he disappeared out of sight, “loves his family.”

Laygak let out a soft breath, disappointed with her response, but nodded.

Adam placed down the gems, each of them worth fifty gold pieces, before beginning the process of enchanting.

Mana: 18 -> 16

Enchanting Check

D20 + 7 = 15 (8)

Omen: 3, 15 -> 3

15 + 7 = 22

They were so close to the Iyr. Yet, they did not expect to find themselves beset by beasts on all sides. The Dwarf slammed his hammer against a White Wolf which dared to trek too close. The shouting between the four filled the air as more beasts flooded in towards them. A baby’s cry filled the air.

Enchanting was different this time. He was far more conscious about enchanting, instead trying to practise controlling his Mana as it flowed into the axe, through it into the shrine, which then fell into the gems.

The gems burst into dust, before following the shrine’s guidance, and flowed along the head of the axe, embedding into it, causing some of the silver flecks to turn into runes, which were filled with magic.

By the time he was done, he was sweating slightly, which meant it had been extremely difficult since Half Elves rarely sweat through physical effort. As he returned to the estate, he quickly took a dip, before finding Taygak waiting for him with a book.

“Come, Adam,” she said, beckoning him with a hand, patting the seat beside her. “I tell story.”

“What story will you tell?”

“I tell story,” she said. “My family come Iyr.”

“Ah? I’d love to hear about it! Will you speak in your tongue?”

“I speak Iyr, okay?”

“Okay,” Adam replied in the Iyrman’s tongue.

“Let us wait until the food is ready, Taygak,” Sonarot said. “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“She has been so excited to tell you the story,” Sonarot said, ruffling the girl’s hair. “She has practised.”

“I’m so glad to hear,” Adam said. “I’m also excited to hear how the Gak family arrived in the Iyr.”

Sonarot smiled, wondering if she should tell him, but she decided against it. “How was your enchanting?”

“Pretty good,” Adam replied. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to enchant something pretty decent.”

“Will you be enchanting it with a greater enchantment?”

“No,” Adam replied.

“Even though it is such a great weapon? It is made of Iyr steel and Iyr ash,” she said.

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Doesn’t really matter too much. I’ll probably smith something during Twilight Month which I’ll enchant with a greater enchantment during Dawnval.”

Soon the food was ready, and Taygak was equally as ready. She made sure Adam was beside her as she began to tell him the tale of how her family had arrived at the Iyr.

“King Solomon shouted for the Soldiers to retreat,” she began.

‘Hold up,’ Adam thought. ‘Isn’t this just Blackwater Crisis?’

Taygak continue to summarise the story of Blackwater Crisis, stopping during the betrayal to snort angrily and shake her head, before she continued. Towards the end, she gave a look to Sonarot and Shikan, who raised their brows at her, making sure she did not let it slip, before continuing.

“Wait, what?” Adam said. “What? What?” Adam continued, trying to process what he had learnt.

Sonarot smiled. “It was the Jarot of that time who had brought so much to the family name. It was when the Rot family was perhaps at the peak.”

“I’ve heard this story at least three times, and you’ve only just decided to tell me?” Adam asked, shocked. “I can’t believe you’ve done this.”

Adam had noted how they had shared knowing looks sometimes when the story was told. He felt as though there had been something that the Rot family hadn’t told him, something which Sarot had planted deep within his mind when they had spoken in Ever Green.

“So they fled from the Blue Dragons of Aswadasad, and then…” Adam looked to his Aunt. “Jarot had brought the Devilkin to the Iyr for safety.”

Adam had wondered why there had been no Devilkin mentioned during the time of the Blackwater Crisis. ‘I asked Wujyn forever ago, and I can’t believe she didn’t tell me!’

“You didn’t know?” Dunes asked, looking at Adam.

“No!”

“How did you not know?”

“Did you know?”

“Yes,” Dunes said. “I didn’t realise it was the Rot family, though. I heard that a group of families adopted the Devilkin into their family.”

“The Gak family was one of the first to accept the Devilkin,” Sonarot said. “Falgak grew up with Jarot during that time, and so she wholeheartedly accepted them.”

“Damn,” Adam said. “How did I not know that?”

“The Gak family reached it’s height not long after,” Sonarot said. “It was a Gak who eventually made a name for themselves and created the Jyn family that you know.”

“Ah,” Adam said. “Did the Iyr change much after the introduction of the Devilkin?”

“In many ways,” Sonarot confirmed.

“It was the Devilkin who changed the role of the Chief,” Lavgak, Raygak’s mother, said. “The Chief was once known as simply Chief, but due to the push of a Devilkin Chief, the Chief’s role changed slightly, and they were then allowed to use their name.”

“Why is that?” Adam asked.

“Devilkin managed to achieve the role of Chief twice, but none within the other Great Elder ranks,” Lavgak explained. “And so, in order to allow their contributions to be known throughout the Iyr’s history, they requested that the Chiefs are named, in case Devilkin were unable to achieve any of the Great Elder ranks.”

“That makes sense,” Adam said. “Damn. I didn’t realise the Devilkin were new to the Iyr?”

“Though the Iyr had a history before the Blackwater Crisis, most of the Iyr’s greatest stories come after, though the Gak family has yet to truly achieve such greatness again,” Lavgak said, sighing.

“That’ll change,” Adam said. “Now that you have Taygak, who tells such great stories, who will say that the Gak family cannot rise?” Adam ruffled her hair, having noticed how she was waiting to be praised for her story telling.

“I tell story good?” she asked.

“Yes,” Adam said. “You are amazing.”

Taygak smiled wide.