As the raily fell upon the nd, the workers of the United Kindom shuffled out to tend to their fields. The guards walked around the perimeter, cheg upohreats of the nd. Laying upoe, a particur half dragon gazed out to the rest of the nd, following the distant dots which worked the fields, from those of the business, to those of the vilge.

  “Bael, I heard you did breakfast,” Adam called.

  “I don’t feel hungry.”

  Adam let out a sigh. He wouldn’t have mentioned anything, but sitle Jarot was struggling to eat, it was awkward to allow this kind of behaviour. “I’m going to o ask you to have some food.”

  Bael yawned out of boredom, a pyful smirk appearing on his face, but before he spoke, Kamrot struck his shield with a gentle fist. The half dragohe older Iyrman’s gaze, and as Kamrot dared the half dragon to act up, Bael gnced down to Adam. He hopped onto his feet a onto the ground, rubbing the side of his neck.

  “Thank you,” Adam said.

  “I’ll only remain until the end of month,” Bael warned.

  “We’ll call it even by the end of this month.”

  Bael raised his brow. For a moment, he took offence, for what kind of person would allow Bael to slip through their fingers so easily? Then his eyes darted to Kamrot, who rubbed the top of his bald head, the old man having shaved it fresh that m, and still enjoying the novel sensation. “Are you going to advehrough Aswadasad?”

  “Yeah, some time early this year.”

  “I would like to e along.”

  “Sure.”

  “…”

  “…”

  Just like that, the pair settled for breakfast, where the children eagerly awaited. They had eaten a small breakfast earlier in the day, but Adam had decided to cook pizza for them that m. The smell of the food filled the air, but thankfully Adam had decided to bake away from the rest of the children, who were currently in the middle of their education.

  “My daddy makes the best pizza,” Jirot informed her papo, holding up the pizza to her brother’s lips. “Jarot, you must eat first.”

  Adam almost spoke up, but tensed up, while little Jarot leaned in for a small nibble of the pizza, causing the half elf to smile wide. The girl raised the pizza for her uncle, who was about to eat his own slice. She blinked, opening her mouth for Tanagek’s pizza slice as he fed her, and he leaned in to bite the pizza slice she offered to him.

  “My greatchildrehe cutest,” the one armed Jarot said, sipping his milk. His eyes fell onto the nearby old Iyrmen, each rising with annoyahat the old man tio show off the children, but also because he was right.

  “Jijin, will you feed your babo too?” Rajin asked, his voice low and quiet.

  “Jijin?” Jarot snarled. “You ot steal my greatchildren from me! They love their babo too much! Jirot, Jarot, e!”

  “Leave them alone so they eat, you old geezer!” Adam s the one armed old man.

  “I feed them! Will you refuse eating from my-,” Jarot quickly fell silent, gritting his teeth, feeling the rage overwhelm him for a moment before the shame quickly washed it away. “Is the pizza delicious?”

  “So delicious!” Jirot firmed, taking another bite of her pizza, while Jarot pulled his head away from the pizza within Tanagek’s hand, the young boy sipping from his magical gourd.

  ‘He does much…’ Tahought, keeping his frown from marg across his lips.

  “So delicious!” Chosen agreed. “Your ability to cook is as good as your ability to fight?”

  “Something like that,” Adam replied, the smirk slowly widening.

  “My daddy is s!” Jirot agreed. “Daddy is first pce.”

  “I’m not first p your heart though, am I? Mummy’s first pce, isn’t she?”

  “I love mummy so much,” Jirot agreed, distracted by the slice of pizza as Tanagek fed her, before fog his attention uporiplets.

  The old one armed Iyrma out a small sigh, his eyes focused upon his twins. For a moment he go Larot, but the boy ate his pizza slowly, staring down at his slice of pizza. ‘…’

  After breakfast, the twin’s cries filled the air. The old Jarot pulled them close to his chest, before surrendering them to Gangak.

  “We will stay on the Iyr’s nd,” the old Jarot promised. “I wish to show you the river.”

  “Babo…” Jirot sniffled, the tears streaming down her face. Even within her nano’s arms, the girl felt the chill of fear grip her.

  The gate opeo the world that was so cruel.

  “We are here,” Jarot assured.

  “I’m ing too,” Adam said, smiling towards them, but his eyes were shut closed, sihey would have given away his thoughts.

  The river surrouhe fort’s islet, joining together towards the south, flowing towards the elven nds, though eventually curved to the western o many miles away. They made their way back, still upon the Iyr’s nd, even across the bridge. The old man took in the sight of the fort, which blocked some of the vilge from view.

  “Do you see this river? This is the river of the Iyr.” The old Iyrman man poio where the stream split. “That stream was created for the vilge, marking the boundary of the Iyr’s nd. The Aldish, they ot build closer than that stream. This nd, it is our nd. Mine. Yours. It is the Iyr’s nd, the nd of our people.”

  The old man dropped to his knees, pulling both children in close from their nano, pnting kisses atop their heads. “You are still afraid, but there is no need for such fear. On this nd, the Aldish ot hurt you. You must be careful of the beasts, but the people? They know. On this nd, babo will protect you. Even when your father is gone, we will protect you. Your nana will protect you. Nano will protect you too. The Iyr will protect you. When you are older, you will protect the Iyr, like it has protected you. Do you uand?”

  “When I am big, I will be Demon Lord,” Jirot said. “I will protect you.”

  “That is right!” The older Jarot smiled, pnting a kiss on the girl’s cheek, still seeing the apprehension in her eyes.

  “I will grow up and be as strong as you, babo,” little Jarot said.

  “Yes! Yes! We will train you, and you will be strong.” Jarot kissed their foreheads. “You must stay with babo! Babo will protect you, okay?”

  “Okay!”

  Jarot wasn’t sure if this would help, but he tio hold the twins, helping them back to the fort, and took them to one side to ge their clothies with Gangak. Adam watched them go, unsure of what he could do to try and help his children.

  ‘Hopefully, time will heal their wounds…’ The half elf reached up to his eyes, c them from the world, not wanting it to see the darkhat filled them.

  “Brother!” Lanarot called, charging her brother, not notig the darkness which had seeped within him. “I am the Little Boss!”

  “That’s right,” Adam replied, doing his best to smile.

  Lanarot held up her hand.

  “What?”

  “Where is my money?”

  “You have to work hard first.”

  “I work hard!”

  “If you’ve worked hard, you have to show me.”

  Lanarot huffed. She grabbed her brother’s hand and led him through the fort, finding a nearby worker, the middle aged woman who was so thin, with pale skin, dark hair, and curious eyes. “I am w hard! Okay?”

  “Okay?” Luna replied.

  “You see?” Lanarot asked, her eyes glued to her brother with a smirk upon her lips.

  “You ’t bully the workers like that,” Adam said, smiling towards Luna, waving with his hand to let her go. “You o work hard and show me you’re w hard, Little Boss.”

  Lanarot blinked.

  “Okay, look, e with me,” Adam said, holding the girl’s hand as he led her through the fort, sing across the figures within, before finding the old man. “Do you remember his name?”

  “I remember!”

  “Yeah?”

  “It is Gimon.”

  “What does he do?”

  “He is a gardener.”

  “That’s right. He’s a gardener, so why don’t you help him garden?”

  Lanarot blinked. “I water the pnts?”

  “That’s right. Why don’t you water the pnts?” Adam offered, before ruffling her hair. “Gimon!”

  “Executive,” the old man called, fshing a warm smile. “How may I help?”

  “Lanarot here is trying to work hard for her pay,” Adam said, brushing the girl’s knuckles gently with his thumb. “She’s going to help you water the pnts with Tanagek, isn’t that right?”

  “Yes!” Lanarot said. “I will find cousin Tanagek.”

  “Where is he?”

  Lanarot gnced aside, and her eyes shot upwards, for Taood but ten steps away. “Cousin Tanagek! We must water the pnts!”

  “Okay,” Tanagek replied, having followed the girl sihe beginning, with her fetting all about him as she went to tease her brother. ‘I see.’

  Adam smiled, watg the little girl pour the water over the pnts, using the wooden her brother had made out of wood, the water ing out in tiny drips out of the myriad of holes. ‘How does he do it?’

  ‘My brother is a genius at fighting and with children,’ Jurot had said. Tanagek realised what Jurot had meant, watg the half elf easily navigate with all the children, including his own brothers, teasing them but also willing to allow them to tease him. He had no pride when it came to the children, or rather, his pride were each of the children. However, just how strong was he that even Jurot would call him a genius? Each time he had asked Jurot just how strong Adam was, the Iyrman replied the same way.

  ‘You will see.’

  Adam let out a small sigh, relieved that Tanagek was watg over Lanarot, as the Iyrmen teo do with their children. ‘I need some struards that aren’t Iyrmen around for when the Iyrmeoo busy for the fort, and for those who I send out. I ’t keep b the Iyrmen.’

  Mana: 34 -> 31Spell: Sending

  “Good… afternoon? Sorry to bother you, Vasera, but are you looking for stable work?” Adam asked, sending out the words into the air, and to Vasera.

  ‘Not yet. We are currently employed in Aswadasad. We may e to you in a couple of years.’

  Mana: 31 -> 28Spell: Sending

  “I hope you’re well. If you need any magical equipment, please let us know, we’ll give you a dist.”

  ‘We’re doing great! Drinks! Women! Men! Gold! I’ll keep your offer in mind when we e back to Aldnd!’

  Adam chuckled as the woman’s voice grew quiet within his mind. ‘I guess I’ll o advertise across the kingdom?’

  As the day passed, more Iyrmen appeared, those with familiar faces. Tanagek’s eyes remained firmly fixated on a particur Iyrman. His eyes darted to his father, his brows furrowed.

  “Uncle gave up his position,” Tonagek said, noting the look within his son’s eyes.

  The fusion within Tanagek grew, his eyes darting around, revealing an uncharacteristic shock, the young man struck by the words as though they were a hammer.

  Duteous Dogek. Gave up his position?

  The Duteous Dogek?

  “You have returned,” Dogek said, reag out to rub Tanagek’s head. He was older, with greyed hair which fell to his cheeks, and cold eyes, which remained focused.

  “Yes,” Tanagek replied, even more shocked by the affe from the older Iyrman. ‘Just how much has the Iyr ged?’

  Everything's so peaceful...