The alcohol in the Iyr burnt Adam’s throat deeply. He let out a soft gasp as the four of them sat and drank. Timojin and Amokan lay before them, passed out from drinking too much.

“The alcohol here ain’t so bad,” Adam said, tasting how sweet it was. “Very peachy.”

Jurot sipped from his small cup, placing it down beside him. “You should be careful drinking too much.” His face was flush from the alcohol.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Around them the men and women of the Iyr danced together, some with their partners, some with whichever Iyrmen they could grab, and others with their rivals. The children drank their juice and pretended to be drunk, and other children wrestled one another, before tiring themselves out and falling asleep.

Turot was wrestling with Damoqan, who was slightly older and so had a small advantage over the boy. Turot dropped down beside Jurot, panting for air. He had won three times out of ten, which satisfied him.

Adam brought down a cup of water for the boy and he drank at it. “Did you have fun?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Turot replied, sighing.

“Turot, I need your help with something,” Adam said.

“Yes?” Turot looked up at Adam, his tiny ears twitching. “I will help!”

“I need you to help me convince aunt Sonarot, okay?”

“Convince?”

“Yeah. I want to enchant and she’s going to be mad at me.”

Turot’s face drooped. “Hmm.”

“You said you’d help, right?” Adam squeezed the boy’s shoulder gently. “Right?”

Turot began to sweat slightly, shutting his eyes tight. ‘Oh no.’ If he didn’t help, they would call him a liar. “Okay.”

“You shouldn’t bully our little Turot,” Jaygak said, picking Turot up and placing the boy on her lap. “If he bullies you, tell us, okay?” Jaygak pulled his cheeks gently.

“Okay,” Turot replied, squirming on her lap.

“This is why I said you need a woman,” Sonarot said, gently rocking Lanarot in her arms. Adam and Turot were knelt before her as she told them off. “You have too much will in you, didn’t I say so?” Sonarot stared down at the pair. “Turot, go and change.”

Turot quickly rushed off to change into his pyjamas, and Adam remained there, hands on his knees, his head bowed.

Sonarot sighed. “I won’t stop you from enchanting, but I want you to also enjoy the festival.”

“Yes, aunt,” Adam said, quietly.

“Did you enjoy your first day?”

Adam nodded his head. “It was fun. The food was delicious.” Adam rubbed his stomach, which was full of all kinds of pastries and fried foods. There were a few sweets in the Iyr, though they were mostly for the children.

“Do you have any new recipes you want to reveal to the Iyr?” Sonarot asked.

“To be honest, most of them are already in the Iyr,” Adam admitted. “There are a few I have in mind, but I have no clue how they’re actually made. The other stuff isn’t really suited for festival food, but I’m figuring out one of my favourites.”

“You should worry more about these things than enchanting. Even Jurot practises his javelin throws, not just his axe and shield.”

Adam just nodded his head, too tipsy to think about her words. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Sonarot said. “I can’t be too angry since you are enchanting for the Gak and Ool family.” She brushed his hair gently. “Do you have enough gems?”

Adam nodded. “Elder Gold paid me quite a lot last time.”

Sonarot brushed his face gently before letting him go. “If you need anything, you may come to me.”

“Yes, aunt,” Adam replied, before getting changed himself and falling asleep.

Omen: 15, 16

Jogak stared at his daughter as she handed over her sword to the half elf. He sighed, rubbing the scar across his face, which throbbed angrily at him. She had fought him on this matter, and he couldn’t help but think it was going to bring shame to his family, to have their weapon enchanted for free.

His eyes found Citool’s, who seemed to have suffered from the same fate. The woman just bowed her head slowly, allowing the matter to pass. They had to let their children go. It was time for them to make their own mistakes.

Adam stared at the sword, the hilt of which was made from a beautiful red gem, with a yellow cloth tied around it, matching the Gak family tattoo of a red cross with yellow tilted kites.

Kitool’s staff was fairly plain, though Jurot was admiring it, nodding his head. There were two pieces of cloth tied to it as well, blue and red, matching Ool’s own tattoo.

It was still early in the morning, and the festival was going to be in full swing once noon came by, but Adam would be able to enchant and make it whilst it was still at its height. He put away the staff first, and then carried the sword out with him, with his handful of gems.

“Take care, and do not spend all day enchanting,” Sonarot said.

“I understand,” Adam said.

“Here,” Jogak said, holding out a large gem, which was a deep red. “Use this as the main gem.”

“Father,” Jaygak called, though she knew not to start a bother in front of everyone else like this. She suddenly filled with a deep sense of guilt.

“I wish you luck, Adam,” Jogak said, before he returned back to his home.

Citool also brought forth a great gem, handing it to the boy, before bowing her head and leaving.

Kitool wondered if she should have accepted. Their families weren’t as rich as the Rot or Kan families, and even the Rot family wasn’t as wealthy as the Kan family, which had formed plenty of Great Elders and Chiefs from their names.

‘Perhaps, with Adam at our side…’ She pushed away the thoughts.

Mana: 8 -> 5

Enchanting

D20 + 7 = 24 (17)

“Damn, maybe I am enchanting too much,” Adam grumbled. He had used six of his Tiger Eyes, and the gem which Jogak, Jaygak’s father, had given him. He sighed, feeling the drain in his body. “Well, at least it went well today.”

He quickly returned to the Rot family estate to find Elder Zijin relaxing there with two familiar girls. “Adam,” Zijin called out, beckoning Adam towards him.

“Elder Zijin,” Adam replied, walking over to him. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” Zijin replied. “Should there be?”

“No, I hope not.”

“I was waiting for you,” he said, standing, lifting the children up onto his shoulders. “Come.”

Adam followed the Elder, heading towards the Chief’s place, though they swerved and continued along to a warehouse near it. There, Elder Gold was commanding the people, checking to see how many ingredients they still had, dealing with the logistics of the festival. She noted Adam and nodded her head to him, motioning a hand to the side, where there was a set of purple and silver plate mail waiting for him.

“Is that my puthral?” Adam said.

“Yes,” Zijin said, dropping the girls and letting them explore the warehouse. He growled something in their tongue to them, and they threw back innocent looks, before quickly rushing away to explore the warehouse. Another Iyrman followed them in the shadows.

“Can I try it on?” Adam asked.

“We need you to check the fit of it,” Zijin said.

Adam grinned wide. He began to hoist up the various pieces of the armour, tying them on. It fit slightly too loose, but as he walked around, he found it was fine enough. It didn’t make any sound either as he walked, as though he were wearing cloth. It was also extremely light in comparison to his chain mail, to the point he felt like he was wearing less armour. “Whoa,” Adam said, bouncing up and down, before jogging and then rolling about in the armour.

“Is it good?”

“Good? No. It’s great.” Adam grinned wide, slapping his armour, feeling how smooth it was to the touch. “This is mine?”

“Yes,” Zijin said. “That was the deal.”

Adam started to laugh. “This is so cool!” He grinned like a little boy as he looked all around himself. “Purple is one of my favourite colours too. I should find a white cape to wear with it, it would match my sword.”

Zijin raised his brows. “Yes,” he said. “Your sword.”

“I’ll make an axe later,” Adam said, clearing his throat. “I already have the sword so I might as well use it.”

“The armour looks good on you,” Elder Gold said.

“Doesn’t it?” Adam said, smiling at her. “Thanks again!”

“I still do not completely trust you, but you have shown yourself to think of the Iyr.”

“Well, the Iyr treated me kindly in my previous life.”

“Your previous life?” Elder Gold asked.

“A story for another time,” Adam said, smiling at her. “When I’m stronger and can dare to challenge those who would want to punish me for saying too much.”

“I hope that you will remain a friend to the Iyr,” Elder Gold said, extending out a hand.

“As long as the Iyr is a friend to me, I will be a friend to her,” Adam replied, grabbing her forearm. “If it’s ever in trouble, you can count on my sword, or my axe, depending on how far in the future we’re talking.”

The Iyrmen watched as Adam left. They did not believe in reincarnation, so they could only assume Adam was talking about something else.

“You forgot to give him the token,” Elder Zijin said.

Elder Gold closed her eyes. “I did.”

Elder Zijin held out his hand. She handed it over and he left to hand the token over to Adam. His nieces continued to run amok in the warehouse, finding all manner of trinkets to play with.

“What’s this?” Adam asked, noting the wooden token which was handed to him. It was carved with a certain symbol, one he didn’t recognise.

“Elder Gold’s token,” Zijin said. “It allows you to trade things in the warehouse without a guarantor to sign for you.”

“Oh,” Adam said, smiling. “That’s useful.”

“You will still need the items to trade on hand, but the Iyrmen will not bother you as long as you keep it on you.”

Adam nodded his head. “Thank you.”

The half elf returned to the estate, cleaned up, and changed into a fine outfit which was near identical to the outfit from the day before, except the colours were inverted, save for the Rot family pattern on the sleeves.

“Adam,” called Jurot within moments of him head towards the centre.

“Jurot,” Adam said, greeting his companion.

“How did enchanting go?” Jaygak asked.

“Well.” Adam nodded, smiling. “So, what’s the plan for today?” He glanced around, finding a place selling some flat bread and some greasy food, making a wrap, which made the Iyrmen stare at him.

“We could join the fights,” Jurot said. “There is a prize on offer.”

“A prize?” Adam asked. “What kind of prize?”

“A weapon made by an Iyrman smith which is enchanted by an Iyrman enchanter,” Jurot said.

Adam was half way through biting his food before he froze. “You what? Why didn’t you tell me that? I wouldn’t have enchanted so many items!”

“Your weapons are great,” Jurot said. “They would have easily matched the weapon created as the prize.”

“Yeah, but, it would have been cool, you know?” Adam bit into his food sadly. ‘Damn it! I could have had a cool axe.’

“The competition would have been fierce,” Jurot admitted.

“Hey, Adam!” Lucy cried out from afar before storming his way, carrying a different stick of food in between each set of fingers. “I heard you already made your party!”

“Yeah,” Adam said.

“You promised we’d adventure together!”

Adam stared down at her. “Oh, yeah.”

She glared at him.

“Can she even come along?” Adam asked, turning to Jurot. “You say she’s a demon, isn’t that an issue?”

“She can be seen either as a devilkin or a drakken and devilkin child. In this land she may be caught as a demon or hunted, but East Aldland and the Aswadasad Kingdom are more accepted of devilkin generally.”

“We should head to…” Adam thought about what had happened down south. “Nevermind.”

Lucy grumbled, eating each different food. “I’ll just stay here and train then.” She glanced around to all he hunky Iyrmen, smiling wide.

Adam narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that okay, Jurot? I realised I never really asked if she could stay here.”

“She is a friend of ours,” Jurot said. “She may remain here. If she wishes to train with Iyrmen, then she must work for the Iyr.”

“Work?” Lucy frowned. “Once I become the Demon Lord, I’m outlawing work.”

“You should work while you’re in the Iyr,” Adam said. “You don’t want to be known as Lucy, the Ungrateful Demon Lord.”

“Hmph! Obviously!” She continued to bite into her food.

“If I hear you’re messing around, I’ll tell everyone your real name,” Adam said.

Lucy choked on her food, coughing. “You wouldn’t dare! You promised!”

“As long as you behave,” Adam warned, staring down at her. “Once your name slips here, it’ll spread like wildfire.”

“You! Just you wait until I regain my strength!”

“I can’t wait!” Adam laughed.