“What?” Adam asked.

“That’s how it always works,” Strom said, nodding his head to the Iyrmen. “You get some people with bright ideas, so you need to beat them down so they keep their mouth shut.”

“Where’s the Chief?” Adam asked. “Isn’t he meant to babysit you?”

“I’ve been allowed to roam free as I please, as long as I don’t cause too much trouble.” Strom smiled, like a cheeky teenager who knew he could get away with anything.

“I have a feeling that you like to get into trouble a lot.”

“They say dragons of a scale, fly in a trail,” Strom said.

Adam shook his head slowly. “You know, Strom. I think I’m the second most queer person here.”

“Who is first?”

Adam raised his brows.

“Since you are having an issue with your Aunts and Uncle, why don’t you just beat them up?” Strom asked.

“I can’t just beat them up,” Adam said. “Not everything can be solved with violence.”

“Why not?” Jurot asked.

“What do you mean, why not? They dislike me, and if I beat them up, they’ll just dislike me more.”

“Do you believe you can beat us so easily?” Mirot asked.

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “As long as I have Phantom and my magic. Without Phantom it’s probably pretty even, with me as the favourite.”

Mirot glared at him. “Then let us fight.”

“Sure, tomorrow or so,” Adam said. “I’ve used a lot of my abilities today, so it’s probably a fifty fifty chance even with Phantom.”

Mirot could not believe just how eager Adam was to try and shame her. “Do you believe I am so weak?”

“No,” Adam replied, casually. “You’re strong, so are all the other Aunts and Uncles around.”

“You believe you are more powerful?”

“No,” Adam replied, once again with the most casual tone. “I think that Phantom is one hell of a weapon, and my magic and other abilities give me a better shot against most than the average Expert.”

Mirot could not refute his statement. “Then you will face me tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Then Uncle Gorot the next day, and Aunt Kaygak the day after?”

“You will face us three, one by one?” Gorot asked.

“Why not?”

“It would be difficult.”

“So? It’ll be worth it if I actually manage to do it. Plus…” Adam fell silent, narrowing his eyes.

“What?” Sonarot asked.

“Jurot and the others are going to have fun without me, so it’s only fair I get to have fun too,” he said. “They won’t be there to watch.” Adam’s lips grew into a smirk towards Jaygak.

“It’s still worth it for us to go,” Jaygak said. “Don’t be mean to my Aunt.”

“Do you think he can beat me?” Kaygak asked.

“Adam is…” Jaygak wondered how to describe him.

“Strong,” Jurot said. “He defeated an Awakened Wolf with a single blow.”

“Pure luck,” Kaygak replied.

“Yes,” Jurot said. “Adam is very lucky, and even when he is not, the things he is able to do are still greater than the things I can do.”

“Can you defeat me?” Kaygak asked.

“If I was as lucky as Adam, yes.”

Jurot spoke the truth, as far as Kaygak was aware.

“Then I would like to see it, your ability to defeat me,” Kaygak said. “We, too, will use the weapons and armours at our disposal.”

“Sure,” Adam replied. “That’s only fair.”

“Then I will face you, Adam,” Kaygak said.

“Then it’ll be Aunt Mirot, Aunt Kaygak, then Uncle Gorot?”

“I will face you first,” Kaygak said. “If you cannot defeat me, then you will be unable to defeat Mirot.”

“Okay then.”

“Fight?” Taygak asked.

“That is right,” Kaygak said.

Taygak smiled.

‘Won’t it be bad if I beat them in front of their kids?’ Adam thought. ‘No, what am I doing? Logic with Iyrmen?’

“You have heard him,” Mirot said. “We are allowed to use the magical weapons of our family.”

“I have,” Sonarot said. “You will need to ask mother.”

Mirot slowly bowed her head.

“So what are you doing here?” Adam asked, looking to Strom once more.

“I could smell the fun,” he said, looking down at the materials. “The Iyr has so many materials to use.” He counted at least ten different woods and ten different metals, though he knew of many more which remained in the Iyr. “No stormwood?”

“No,” Adam said. “That’s precious, and Jurot has a little to carve.”

“Everything should be made of stormwood,” Strom said. “It is the best wood.”

“Stormwood is not the best wood,” Jurot replied, with Lanarot in his arm.

“Why isn’t it?”

“Stormwood is-“

“Jurot,” Adam interrupted. “Stop talking about wood and play with Lanarot. She won’t be able to see you for so long, so you need to play with her properly.”

“So he’ll be having fun without you?” Strom asked.

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “I don’t know what it is, but I hear it’s important. If they’re sending Experts in, I assume it’s something dangerous.”

“The Iyrmen are hard to kill,” Strom assured.

“When are you guys leaving anyway?” Adam asked.

“In a few hours,” Jurot replied.

“Is everything ready?”

“Mostly. I will be able to leave within moments once I am collected.”

Adam wondered if there was anything he could do before they would leave, but he decided against it.

“Adam,” Sir Vonda said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Adam’s eyes snapped towards her eyes. ‘Oh, shit. I forgot you were here!’

“Enjoy your time with your friends,” she said. “You work too much.”

“You sound like my Aunt.”

“She is wise.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Adam replied, chuckling.

Sir Vonda wasn’t sure what Adam was. She had watched him hand out the various gifts, and she thought she understood him. ‘You’ll make them all magical weapons? How many thousands of gold will that cost? You aren’t even going to accept money for them, are you? Now you’re going to fight with their parents?’

Sir Vonda sighed, wondering if she’d ever be able to understand Adam. He was something beyond her, and she wondered if even Mother Soza could understand Adam.

There was an awkwardness in the air, one which quickly disappeared once Jarot and Churot arrived. His eyes snapped to Strom, who smiled at him, and the pair exchanged a nod.

The children very quickly swarmed the old Iyrman, excitedly greeting him.

“What are you doing here?” Adam asked, looking to Jarot.

“Show some respect,” Mirot said.

“What are you doing here, old geezer?” Adam corrected himself.

“My grandson is going soon, and it may be the last time I see him,” Jarot said, sitting down beside Jurot, ruffling his hair. “I cannot let you leave before we drink together.”

The children dispersed from him, returning back to whatever they were doing.

“Jurot won’t die,” Adam said. “If you die, Jurot, I’ll kill you.”

“If I die, how can you kill me?” Jurot asked.

“I’ll ask Baktu nicely,” Adam replied, simply.

Jarot laughed. “How can I get used to your audacity?”

“Speaking of audacity, I’m going to be fighting Aunt Mirot soon.” Adam smiled.

“Mirot?” Jarot asked, looking to his daughter. “Why is that?”

“She doesn’t like me.”

“Adam has allowed us to face him with our magical weapons,” Mirot said. “I will be borrowing the Sunder Axe.”

“You wish to borrow the Sunder Axe to face Adam?” Jarot asked. “I would like to see that fight.”

“Then that can be my revenge,” Adam joked. “I still remember how you beat me so badly back then.”

“Sometimes families fight, there is nothing wrong with it,” Jarot stated. “When is the fight?”

“Well, tomorrow is Aunt Kaygak, then it’ll be either Uncle Gorot or Aunt Mirot. Not sure.”

“You will face them all?” Jarot asked.

“One by one as the days pass.”

Jarot furrowed his brows, before looking at Mirot, Gorot, and then Kaygak. “What is the meaning of this?”

“He wishes to create magical weapons for our children,” Kaygak replied.

Jarot smiled. “Oh? Then is that not good? His magical weapons are quite powerful. He may be able to defeat me with his Phantom.”

“We cannot accept,” Kaygak said. “Our families are not so wealthy, and what is the use of magical weapons for children?”

“His prices are low.”

“So low, they’re zero,” Adam said. “I’m not going to charge my cute little Cousins, obviously.”

“Then what is the matter?” Jarot asked. “It is our fortune to accept his favour.”

“We still do not trust him,” Kaygak said.

“Do you not trust my judgement?” Jarot asked.

“It is not that,” Kaygak stated, quickly.

“Now that I think about it,” Adam said, uncomfortable with the direction their conversation was going. “We haven’t actually stated the terms.”

“The terms are simple,” Mirot said. “You may use whatever equipment and magic at your disposal to face us, and we will do the same.”

“If I win, you’ll leave me alone?” Adam asked. “I can make my magical weapons for your kids as I please, and you will not interfere in my relationship with my sister?”

“We cannot interfere with your relationship with Lanarot,” Mirot stated, simply. “If you can beat us, then we will not complain about your abilities or your strength.”

“Everyone knows I’m pretty strong, that’s not why we’re fighting,” Adam said.

“I will not interfere with your business,” Mirot said. “You will be a member of the Rot family, and I will have faith in you as such.”

“Good,” Adam said. “I’ll accept that.”

“If you lose, you will remain distant from our children,” Kaygak said. “I do not want you corrupting my Taygak and Saygak.”

Laygak looked to his mother. “Mother, that is not right. He is a Nephew of the Rot family.”

“It is up to his abilities as to whether he is able to grasp victory in the bouts,” Kaygak said.

“So you have three chances to push me away from your children, and I need to beat all three of you in order to be able to live freely?” Adam asked.

Jarot couldn’t help but feel embarrassed in front of Strom that his family was bullying Adam like this.

“That is-“ Kaygak began, only to be interrupted by the Half Elf.

“Sounds like a fair fight,” Adam said, grinning at Kaygak.

“What is going on here?” Elder Zijin asked, stepping into the courtyard. He had heard that Strom had appeared, but then he saw Adam aggravating his Aunt. Behind him were the rest of Adam’s cohorts.

“I didn’t do anything this…” Adam began, only to remember the entirety of the last few moments.