“Hey, Churot,” Adam said, looking to the Devilkin boy. “Are you doing good?”

The Devilkin boy stared up at Adam, blinking at him. He remained silent, and stood near his grandfather, within arm’s reach at all time. The look within the boy’s eyes were cold. He wasn’t looking at Adam, but beyond him, as though he were an insignificant ant.

‘Damn. This kid is cold.’

“Look at how big you’ve become,” Jarot said, still kissing his granddaughter all over her face.

“She will become big and strong,” Jurot said, nodding his head. As he watched his grandfather shower Lanarot with affection, he wondered if Adam was a long lost sibling of his.

Adam narrowed his eyes at the old man. ‘How dare you try and copy me, you damn old…’ However, he nodded his head. ‘I see, you too are a man of culture.’ Adam wondered if Jurot would be more open to also adore Lanarot after seeing his grandfather act like that.

“You look handsome,” Cirot said.

Sirot nodded her head.

Adam closed his eyes. “Aren’t you girls under age? Stop flirting with me.”

“That is right,” a man called from nearby. He was tall, handsome, with the Rot family pattern on his forehead. He wore a similar attire to both Jurot and Adam, though his own colour was that of a light blue, with a white sash against his stomach. He had dark hair and dark eyes, just like Jurot.

“This does not concern you, father,” Cirot said.

“If we wish to marry Adam, we will do it,” Sirot added.

“Even you, Sirot? How could you say that?” The man glared at Adam, his brow pulsing.

“I agree with your father,” Adam said. “Even if you are free to marry whoever you please, I am also free to marry whoever I want.”

“What is wrong with them?” Jurot asked, crossing his arms.

“They’re too young,” Adam said. “They have to be adults.”

“We are adults!” Cirot declared.

“Do you mean adults with purpose?” Jurot asked.

“What?” Adam replied. “Aren’t they young? They’re not even sixteen from what I see.”

“We are fifteen,” the girls said.

“Right? You’re just a bunch of kids!”

They stared at Adam, narrowing their eyes at him. “We are not!”

“You are!” their father declared. He wanted to be angry at Adam, but it seemed they were both on the same side.

“Old men like us should leave the children be,” Jarot said, trying to take his nephew out of the conversation. ‘Quiet! We need to marry him into our family.’

Adam looked to Sonarot for support.

“Adam is free to marry as he pleases,” she stated, simply. “If Cirot and Sirot are too young, then they need to wait patiently.”

“That’s ri-“ Adam began, before freezing. “No, wait. I won’t marry them. I’m too young.”

“You are old enough,” Jarot said. “There are many within the Iyr who marry at my grandnieces’ age.”

“Yes, but I’m not an Iyrman,” Adam replied. “We need to wait until Lanarot is older. She needs to accept my future wife into her heart too.”

“Adam already has someone in mind,” Jurot said. “Cringe.” Jurot hadn’t mean to say cringe, but when recalling Adam speaking about Mara, he let the word slip out of his mouth.

“Who is this Cringe?” Jarot asked.

“He means Mara,” Adam said.

“Yes,” Jurot said, slightly embarrassed he had let the word slip.

“Who is Mara?” Jarot asked. ‘Is she strong? Should I deal with her?’

“She’s Lucy’s friend,” Adam replied. “Apparently she’s really strong, though she is currently indisposed.”

“Indisposed?” the twins asked. ‘Then there is a chance to steal his heart before she returns.’

Adam could see what they were thinking on their face. “Alright, so am I fighting or what?”

Cirot and Sirot exchanged a look, one he didn’t recognise, but they nodded slowly to him.

“What was that?” Adam asked.

“What?” the twins replied.

“That look between you and then the nod,” Adam said.

Cirot and Sirot did not reply, since they did not want to lie. Instead, they smiled innocently at him.

“Your opponents are here,” Sonarot said.

Adam turned to see the trio of young Iyrmen, each in their early teens. There were two women and a man, and Adam wondered if it was to mirror them.

“Them?” Adam asked. “Aren’t they a little young?” he whispered to Sonarot. After all, Adam was pretty strong in comparison to the kids.

“Yes,” Cirot said. “You are too strong.”

“We will not fight in this battle,” Sirot said.

The three Iyrmen who had been watching, narrowed their eyes at Adam and the Rot family twins.

“We are not that weak,” one said, a young woman who wielded a large greatsword on her back.

“You should not shame us so much,” another added, a young man with a staff.

“We know that you are strong, but…” The last young woman, who wore chain mail and wielded a longsword and shield, stared at Adam. Her eyes then fell across the other Rot family. “Are you the Nephew of the Rot family?”

“That’s right,” Adam said, preparing himself.

“Unrivalled Under The Heavens?” the young man asked.

“Yes,” Adam said, wincing.

“Ooooh,” the trio replied, nodding their heads.

“Then it is only fair we face you all at once,” the Iyrman with the greatsword said.

Sonarot smiled, nodding her head. “I believe it is fair for Adam to face you all alone.”

‘Et tu, Sonarot?’ Adam cried, internally. ‘Though, I guess it makes sense. If I fight these three with the twins, it’ll only be used to bully me.’

Perception Check

D20 + 3 = 19 (16)

Adam spotted a familiar face, Jaygak, who had crept her way into the crowd to watch the fight. ‘She’d definitely bully me if I fought alongside the twins.’

“It will be our honour to face you,” the trio said.

“Facing all three of them at once would be difficult even for me,” Jurot admitted. “Facing two opponents is difficult, but three at once?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not in all my gear, but I do have Phantom and my magic. Plus, I have a hidden buff.”

“Buff?” Jurot asked.

“Yeah,” Adam said, donning his shield. “I have never lost once with Lanarot watching.” Adam glanced over to see Lanarot, grabbing Jarot, hair, tugging it as he played with her. He blinked.

The four prepared themselves as the audience gathered around to watch. These three seemed to be from other families, and had been sent to face against the Rot family. Adam wondered if there was a reason for that, but he shook his head, and clenched his fist around his Phantom tight.

The music of the Iyr filled the air.

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 12 (11)

Soon he was beset by three Iyrmen. They may have been young, but they were still Iyrmen, whose eyes were full of excitement, and their weapons eager.

Adam caught the greatsword with Phantom, though his arm throbbed with the effort of clashing against the young woman whose face was red. He brought his shield up, deflecting the sword.

Health: 65 -> 54

The young man had managed to slip through Adam’s defence, bringing his staff down against Adam’s front, before he struck Adam’s thigh which a knee, causing Adam to stumble back.

“You are strong, but it will be difficult to face all three of us at once,” the young man said.

“You’re right,” Adam replied, simply.

The young man’s smile quickly disappeared.

Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2

Health: 54 -> 59

Attack

D20 + 8 = 9 (1)

D20 + 8 = 17 (9)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 8 (1)(1)

8 damage!

Attack

D20 + 8 = 11 (3)

D20 + 8 = 14 (6)

Miss!

Adam swiped Phantom swiftly across the young man’s front, though he had brought his staff to deflect most of the blow, sliding backwards. As Adam charged forward, ignoring the other two, twisting his body to avoid their blows, he struck down towards the young man, who had slipped away with the opening his companions had provided.

“We must be careful,” the young man said. “His axe can strike the mind.” He could feel his head throb from the light blow already. He spun his staff, leaping forward to attack Adam again.

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack

D20 + 8 = 26 (18)

D20 + 8 = 27 (19)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 16 (5)(5)

16 damage!

Unfortunately, Adam wasn’t finished just yet. With a burst of swiftness, Adam stepped forward again, causing the young Iyrman to stumble, and the other two Iyrmen to veer around his massive body.

“The most important thing when facing against multiple foes,” Adam began, before he slashed across the young man’s front, “is to thin the numbers.”

The Iyrman’s eyes rolled back into his skull as he fell, the blow having been too much for him. Adam spun on his heel to face the pair of young women, who paused only for a moment to gather their bearings, allowing Adam a moment to strike again.

Attack

D20 + 8 = 11 (3)

D20 + 8 = 28 (20)

Critical hit!

2D6 + 2D6 + 6 = 23 (4, 6)(1, 6)

23 damage!

Adam, understanding that the woman who was raging would have some resistance against his blows, swung for the other woman, who was adorned in her chain. He cut across the chain, which dampened the blow only slightly, though his axe managed to strike true.

She fell too, unable to even bring her sword and shield up as she fell unconscious.

“That’s two do-“

Health: 59 -> 42

The young woman swung her blade like a beast, scratching against Adam’s puthral, and cut across his arm, causing Adam to stumble back. She roared with joy as she stepped forward, ready to swing again, having far too much fun.

Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1

Health: 42 -> 47

Attack

D20 + 8 = 24 (16)

D20 + 8 = 27 (19)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 15 (6)(3)

Damage resisted!

9 damage!

Attack

D20 + 8 = 16 (8)

D20 + 8 = 23 (15)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 12 (3)(3)

Damage resisted!

8 damage!

“You’re one scary lady,” Adam said, ducking under her next blow, before slamming his axe against her, grabbing her shoulder to strike her across her chin with the handle of his axe.

The Iyrman fell down, though she was caught by a swift footed Iyrman. Adam noted the other two had been dragged away while the battle continued by other Iyrmen, who were tending to their wounds.

Victory!

Iyrmen Youth

XP Gained: +75

XP: 4000 -> 4075

“Whoa,” Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. “She hurt me real good.” He cracked his neck, before glancing back to Sonarot and the others. “How was…”

He noted the looks in the twin’s eyes.

‘Uh oh.’