The walls of the Front Iyr greeted them.

Nobby stared up at the walls with a rare expression of emotion on his face. He was like Jurot in the sense that his face was always neutral, though the large boy’s face was usually sombre.

“Mother Soza,” Sir Vonda whispered. “I had heard about tales of the walls of the Iyr from my Order, but thought they were exaggerated due to the nature of stories.”

“Right?” Adam said. “And Sir Landon thought the Iyr was given this land.” He shook his head.

“I understand why the Iyr has remained independent this entire time,” Sir Vonda said. “Other than it’s ability to create Experts out of even their least talented.”

“Yeah,” Adam said, remembering what Jarot had said about his third son. “Crazy, right?”

“Monstrous,” Sir Vonda said, thinking it was far more apt and kind.

‘Monstrously crazy,’ Fred thought, staring at the walls. “Rock Hill had some of the greatest walls in the Kingdom, but even they couldn’t compare to the likes of this.”

Filliam’s eyes continued to scan the walls. ‘Whoa.’

It wasn’t long until the gates opened, allowing them through, the tall walls on either side of them filling them with a sense of dread and awe.

“You’ve finally returned,” Lykan said, greeting them all. “You’ve brought more guests?”

“Yeah,” Adam said. “Not dissimilar to the last lot either. A Priest, a man lost in life, and someone I want to train.”

“I’m sure you have many stories to tell,” Lykan said.

Jurot inhaled deeply, trying to keep himself from smiling. “Yes.”

“You seem more eager than last time, when you slew a Dragon,” Lykan said, trying to coax more from Jurot.

“Yes,” Jurot said, simply.

Lykan raised his brows, before smiling. “It seems you have quite the story.”

The group was allowed in, with a meal being set for them. A familiar face appeared, scampering up to Adam, before dropping down before him.

“What are you doing here, Sky?” Adam asked, rubbing his head.

“We were unsure if he was truly one of yours,” Lykan said. “We kept him here to keep an eye on him.”

“He’s one of mine,” Adam said. “I beat him up. He tried to make me his slave, so he deserves it.”

“I am not sure if I should be surprised by you any longer,” Lykan admitted.

“Don’t be,” Adam said. “You won’t be able to grow old if you continue being surprised, your heart won’t be able to handle it.”

They were all given appropriate accommodations, Adam and Jurot taking their typical places, the others in the rooms nearby. They had allowed Adam’s steed, Zeus, to remain nearby too.

“The Iyr isn’t quite what I imagined,” Filliam admitted. He looked around to see all the people going about their way.

“This is the Front Iyr,” Adam said. “A village where we’re processed to make sure we aren’t dangerous. They check our passports and everything.” Adam chuckled to himself at his joke, before sighing. ‘Damn. The jokes I could make if they were from the same world as me.’

“Are you okay?” Filliam asked.

“Yeah,” Adam said. “I’m okay.”

Jurot began to tell the tale of their journey, including revealing the existence of Lord Stokmar to the other Iyrmen, and what they had spoken about. Adam felt there was something about Jurot’s statement which revealed something about his family, but he couldn’t quite place it, too busy melting cheese over some meat as he ate.

‘To think he has awoken,’ Lykan thought. He had received a message that Lord Stokmar had awoken, and Sarot had made sure to include the details Jurot had mentioned to him, but to hear it from the young Iyrman’s lips, they had been confirmed.

“Tea?” Adam offered the Elder, who accepted it.

“That is quite the expensive tea pot you had bought,” Lykan said.

“Yeah. I was a little worried on the way back it would get damaged, but we were lucky that we weren’t bothered.”

“It was not luck. The immediate area of the Iyr is relatively safe, save for the time you had met Balrog, it is usually safe.”

“And that thing which attacked the group when I first came here,” Adam said.

“Dawnval is where threats reappear, due to the presence of the Undead,” Lykan said. “Usually, it is quite safe.”

“I heard Nightval was dangerous, but we weren’t really bothered by much.”

“Nightval is dangerous,” Lykan said. “You are more dangerous. If you made your way north, then you’d see. Nightval Bears and White Wolves are the least of your worries.”

“Yeah?” Adam replied. “That was the original plan, but we got sidetracked by a Noble with a heavy purse.”

“At least you have made some coin.”

“Unfortunately not,” Adam said, reaching into his pocket, bringing out his pocket watch. “I spent a ton on Filliam’s wares.”

“Tinkerers have such interesting wares,” Lykan said. “We rarely meet them.”

“He had some interesting stuff, so I hired him.”

“You hired him?” Lykan asked. “Why?”

“There’s a toy I want him to make.”

“Of course you did.”

Adam winked.

The group was allowed to retire for the night in peace.

“Oh,” Adam said, looking at Jurot holding an axe. “Right. I forgot we have to spend a week here.”

Jurot nodded. “Let us work hard for the Front Iyr.”

“We are currently focused on expanding the Front Iyr,” Lykan said.

“Why?” Adam asked, before wincing. “No, never mind. I don’t want to know anything troublesome.”

“It is no trouble,” the Elder replied. “We are bringing forward a few more families to live in the Front Iyr for the Twilight Month. We will send a few out to the nearby villages so that they are taken care of, and there is the matter of increasing their defences during the first month of Dawnval.”

“Oh. I promised Chief Merl I’d send someone to help the village. If I had known, I wouldn’t have promised.”

“Why did you promise your assistance?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I remember them being quite worried earlier in the year, so I thought I could help alleviate their worries. Plus, Jonn still hasn’t kept his promise, so I might as well put him to work.”

Lykan wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to Adam, which was a feeling he shared with a great many Iyrmen. “That is kind of you.”

“We’ll see if it’s a kindness to Jonn,” Adam said, chuckling wickedly.

Adam assisted the Front Iyr with Jurot, cutting down a number of trees which had been marked, as well as carrying all kinds of materials between the warehouse and the newly sectioned area for building.

“Why did you guys pick Nightval to do this?” Adam asked, kicking some snow away. “Is it how you get your rocks off? Doing things in the most difficult way possible?”

“It is to train our bodies,” Jurot said, dropping the log from his shoulder before stretching it out.

“Yeah, yeah,” Adam grumbled.

Lucy was panting heavily as she leaned up against a tree. “I hate the cold and the snow. Why am I even working anyway?”

“So you can admire the bare bodies of the Iyrmen,” Jurot said, motioning with his head towards a group of Iyrmen who wore only furs around their crotches, leaving the rest of themselves exposed to the elements.

“I’m working so hard I can’t even admire them!” Lucy cried.

“That’s what you get for working with ill intentions,” Adam said.

“What? You’ve never worked without ill intentions before?” Lucy grumbled.

“Pretty sure I have, I’m just smarter.”

“Shut up.”

Adam smiled.

Days continued to pass, and soon they had finished creating the first level of the estate. A hundred Iyrmen had helped to build it over the past few days, though most of the foundation had been set before Adam and his compatriots had returned.

“Adam,” Lykan called. “Let us talk.”

Adam threw a look to the Elder. “You’re not going to kill me, are you?”

“No,” Lykan said.

Adam sighed in relief. “Wait. You aren’t taking me elsewhere to die, right?”

Lykan stared at him. “No.”

Adam sighed again, before following him. “Since you accepted my tea before, I guess I should return the favour.”

“I had heard you wanted to joke less,” Lykan said.

“How did you hear about that?” Adam asked.

Lykan smiled, turning as he led Adam away. He led the Half Elf to a forge, which was currently hot with fiery life. “I heard you were lucky today.”

“Pretty lucky,” Adam said. “A couple points off.”

“Will you forge something for me?”

“What do you need?” Adam asked.

Lykan walked over to a small box, pulling away the tarp. He revealed small rocks, ores, which were red in colour. “I would like for you to smith using this ore.”

“Oh?” Adam said. “What do you want me to smith?”

“A sword,” he said.

“How much are you paying me?”

“Your payment will be the chance to work with bloodsteel.”

“Oh?” Adam said, staring at Lykan. “What’s bloodsteel?”

“Weapons made from bloodsteel are able to bypass the natural resistance of many creatures,” he said.

“What kind of creatures?”

“Those many without magical weapons have to fear,” he said. “Magical weapons bypass most natural resistances of all manner of creatures, and bloodsteel has a similar property, though not for the greater creatures.”

“Lykan,” Adam said. “Elder, please,” Adam quickly corrected himself. “I like to speak openly to Iyrmen. You want me to smith bloodsteel to see whether or not I can smith bloodsteel, information which may be valuable to the Iyr.”

Lykan bowed his head. “Yes.”

“Say that,” Adam said. “Speaking half truths is lying, and that is unbecoming of Iyrmen.”

“Half truths have protected the Iyr for generations,” Lykan said.

“Sure, but at least speak to me honestly,” Adam said.

Lykan bowed his head. “I require this bloodsteel weapon made. It is part of my rights as the Elder of the Front Iyr to use some material for my own personal uses. I would like for you to make a greatsword using this material. I will pay you one hundred gold.”

Adam smiled. “That’s what I like to hear. Don’t worry about the payment. You’re Amokan’s uncle, so I won’t charge you. Or, rather, I’ll take payment in another way.”

“What way?”

“How quickly do you need this made?” Adam asked.

“I would like for you to make it today,” Lykan said.

Adam rubbed his chin in thought. ‘I only need to roll once, probably. I have two high rolls today so…’

Omen: 18, 19

Adam smiled.

“Elder Lykan.”

“Yes?”

“The grip can be made of wood, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any red oak?”

Omen: 18, 19 -> 0

The baby looked up towards the sky, hearing the screaming and wailing of his people. Blades cut through flesh, and approached the young child, who did not cry or scream. A young man grabbed the baby, bundling the baby boy up to his chest as his companions formed a wall, though they were quickly cut down.

‘What an unfortunate circumstance,’ the baby thought, feeling Fate shifting, and his misfortune increased.