‘These guys are in their early teens,’ Adam thought. ‘They’re fucking insane.’

Here they had a bunch of kids, each of whom were learning to become machines of death, each skilled enough with their chosen weapon they could balance them atop their nose and moonwalk.

Adam remained silent, watching as the Iyrmen quickly left, leaving them in silence. It was then the audience erupted in chatter, sharing drinks and snacks, all the while talking about their family who had been on display.

“My sister is the strongest,” Turot said, his lips twitching upwards, staring up at Adam smugly.

“Of course she is,” Adam said, ruffling his hair. “The future Elder Peace’s big sister needs to be strong, right?”

Turot let slip a little giggle, squeezing his hands together like Lanarot did, before he began to chat with the others. The children stood up to chat in the walk way towards one another, and Adam leaned back to look at Kitool.

“Your cousin was pretty cool,” Adam said.

Kitool bowed her head. “He was, yes.”

“Did you do something like this?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“Damn,” Adam said. “Do all Iyrmen do it?”

“Most do.”

“Pretty cool,” Adam said, leaning back. “It’s only been, what, an hour and a bit. What’s next?”

“A play,” Kitool said. “It should last a few hours, with small breaks in between.”

“They’ll be the actors in the play?”

Kitool nodded.

Adam wondered what other surprises the Iyr had for him. As the minutes passed, the Iyrmen passed out more snacks, fried stuffs and water, as well as juice. There was also a small bottle of wine, which Adam began to sip slowly, tasting how sour it was.

‘Damn it.’

Adam remained mostly silent, letting the children talk to one another. Some Iyrmen from the row behind them, tapped his shoulder, and he looked back towards them. It was an Orcish Iyrman, in his late early thirties or so.

“You are a Half Elf?”

“That’s right,” Adam said.

“Which family are you with?”

“The Rot family.”

The Orcish Iyrman nodded. “Who was on display in your family?”

“My Cousin, Nirot,” Adam said. “She won the bout with the axe.”

“The one who won the bout with the axe was a young man,” the Orcish Iyrman said.

“Axe and shield, sorry.”

The Orcish Iyrman nodded.

“Yours?”

“Otfan,” the Iyrman said. “There are not many Half Elves who join the Iyr.”

“I’ve heard.”

“I believe you are the first.”

“Adam, son of Fate,” Adam said.

“Razfan,” the Iyrman said, shaking Adam’s forearm. “You are Unrivalled Under The Heavens?”

Adam winced. “Something like that.”

“I knew it,” the beautiful Devilkin woman beside him said, accepting the Iyrman’s gold coin. “I am Shakat.”

“Ah,” Adam said, reaching up to shake her forearm. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. You’re related to the current Elder Peace, right?”

“Yes,” she said. “She is my cousin.”

“My Cousin will be Elder Peace in the future, isn’t that right, Turot?” Adam said.

“Yes,” the boy said, looking up at the woman. “I will be Elder Peace.”

“Then make sure you study hard,” Shakat said. “Why do you want to be Elder Peace?”

“Elder Peace is the most important,” Turot said, matter of factly.

“That they are,” the Iyrman said, petting the young boy’s head, brushing his hair.

It wasn’t long after until the Iyrmen begun to set up the platform, adding in all kinds of features, from mostly that of white furs to form blankets. Some of them were dressed in breastplate of a style from long ago, and others wore the clothing of the Iyr, though it was slightly different.

One of the Iyrmen even wore a crown atop his head, something Adam had never seen before.

‘What the?’

Eventually, the Iyrmen gathered together, taking their places, and the drumming from the side began.

The Iyrman with the crown raised his sword, which was painted red. “Retreat!” he shouted, beginning the play.

It took Adam moments to realise what the story was about, mostly because there was a narrator describing the scene as the Iyrmen acted.

“Oh,” Adam said, watching the play about the Blackwater Crisis.

The children were rather well behaved, clapping every so often when something happened which pleased them, but otherwise remained silent.

The play took several breaks, mostly to change scenes, allowing the Iyrmen to chat between one another.

Turot was in a heated discussion with Raygak, speaking about those who had followed Akrat.

They cheered when the heroes died, and cheered even more when the Dragon was defeated.

Then came that scene.

Adam squinted, already feeling the dread. When it arrived, and he watched as the Orcish Iyrman gave the performance of his life, cursing them for their betrayal, he couldn’t help but get a little teary eyed.

It was around this time that the children were screaming and shouting noisily, and the Iyrmen allowed such a moment as the scene was being shifted.

“They are bad,” Turot said. “You cannot break your word. How could they kill our child?” He tutted.

Adam brushed the boy’s hair, seeing the anger on his face. “That’s why we need an Elder Peace, right?”

“Yes,” he said, his face still sour.

As the story progressed, Adam threw his head back towards the Orcish Iyrman, his brow raised. The Iyrman looked down at him and smiled, winking at the Half Elf, who had eventually put two and two together. Adam just nodded, turning back to the story.

He had forgotten how the Fan and Gak families had played a huge role in the stories, though he noted how Laygak did not play his ancestor, and it was instead played by someone else. In fact, the entire Devilkin group had played extras only, and none of them had played Iyrmen.

‘That’s kinda weird,’ Adam thought.

It was weirder still, since Jarot was played by Nirot, a direct descendant of the man. She had flown in on a…

‘Is that a rickshaw?’ Adam thought, watching as someone cloaked, in black, with a bird mask pulled the young woman along, before she hopped off of it. ‘Nice.’

Once the story was done, there was a roar of applause which filled the arena, all the while the Iyrmen youth stood to accept the applause for some time, before clearing the platform.

Adam stretched his body, going for a quick walk around the area. He glanced to the Iyrman beside him. “I forgot who Razfan was,” Adam admitted.

“Have you heard the story before?” Razfan asked.

“Yeah,” Adam said. “On my first journey to the Iyr.”

“It is obvious, due to the Jarot’s contributions to the Iyr.”

“Jarot’s contribution? What did he do?” Adam asked. “Oh, you mean the Rukhs?”

“No,” Razfan said. “You do not know?”

“Know what?” Adam asked.

“You will be told sooner or later,” Razfan replied, simply.

“Alright,” Adam said. “Keep your secrets.”

Drums signalled the end of the break some time later, and then there came ten Iyrmen, who walked out from the tunnels. Adam didn’t recognise any of them, but he noted their different weapons.

He recognised one of the weapons.

The Iyrman with the spear caught Adam’s eye, bowing his head before pointing his magical spear to the Half Elf.

Adam nodded his head back, surprised to see the spear so soon.

“Adam, son of Fate!” the Iyrman shouted. “I will fight for you this day.”

Adam turned a little red, but smiled. ‘Well, that’s embarrassing.’

“Did you make that spear?” Turot asked.

“Yeah,” Adam said. “I did. I finished it yesterday.”

Turot smiled and nodded his head, chuffed to bits that Adam was his cousin.

Suddenly, they came.

From the three other entrances came out three creatures. One was a large boar, with tusks which would skewer any Iyrman in its path, its fur as white as snow. Another was a large bear, one Adam had fought before, a Nightval Bear. The last was a large wolf, an Elder White Wolf.

Three of the Iyrmen leapt away from their comrades, ready to clash with the creatures. As one might have expected, the Iyrmen had no issue dealing with their enemies.

The Iyrman wielding the spear Adam had created had gone to fight the Nightval Bear, and with some struggle, managed to kill it.

Adam clapped his hands as they won, the display of prowess was amazing, though he was still thinking about the youths earlier in the day, who had been most impressive.

More creatures were shown, a tiger which was white, with six legs, a panther which was black, and lived in a constant state of flux, its body shimmering. There was also a Twilight Fox, which Adam hadn’t expected.

It had caused some alarm when it bolted up towards the crowd, towards Adam and the others, but an older Iyrman punched it back down towards the platform without a word. Adam had reached for Phantom, but it was not needed. The Twilight Fox was quickly slain by one of the older Iyrmen who made up the ten.

The death of the Twilight Fox signalled the end of the show.

“Did you want me to go and fight them?” Strom asked, having sat at the top of the walls behind the crowd, hidden by the brush and sloped height.

“No,” Chief Iromin replied.