“Yes,” Jaygak said, standing taller with great pride.

“May I hold it?” Morkarai asked, respectfully.

Jaygak’s lips twitched at Jurot and Kitool, handing over the great weapon, enjoying the fact he wanted to admire her weapon.

Morkarai, whose Giantsfire was now the second greatest weapon between them, admired Stormdrake. His entire body tingled in delight as he held such a great weapon. It was the same feeling Jurot had when he was holding Giantsfire, a great blade of the Fire Giants. Once, an Iyrman wielded it to slay a great foe, but they had returned it for the weapon did not belong to them.

‘Stormdrake…’ Morkarai thought, his eyes glued to the weapon. A blade like this, made from the-

His thoughts froze.

“How did you come to possess Stormdrake?” Morkarai asked. A blade like this couldn’t simply come into the hands of a young Iyrman who was probably just beginning their adventure in life. Something was strange about the situation.

“Adam gifted it to me,” Jaygak said, before motioning her hand towards Adam, who was still admiring Giantsfire.

‘What?’ Morkarai thought, taken aback. “It was gifted? To you?”

“Yes.”

Morkarai’s eyes snapped to Adam, who stared up at the Giant. “Young man, did you gift Stormdrake to the young Iyrman?”

“It’s Adam Fateson, and yes, I did.”

“Why?”

“I don’t use swords,” Adam said, motioning to his side, where his Dwarven made warhammer hung. “Oh.” He summoned his axe into his hand. “I use axes.”

Morkarai ignored the fact that Adam pointed to his warhammer, his eyes snapping to the axe, and then back to Adam. “Do you know what this blade is?”

“Stormdrake,” Adam replied, simply.

“You gave away Stormdrake, knowing what it is?” Morkarai asked again.

Fate’s Golden stared at the large fellow, basking in the sentiment.

Morkarai was meeting the force of nature which was Adam.

The Fire Giant wasn’t sure what to say. “How did you come to possess it?”

“I won it in a bet.”

Morkarai’s heart pounded wildly, doing its best to continue pumping blood to his mind, though it was aching. “You won it in a bet. Against who?”

“Just some old guy,” Adam replied, casually. “He says he’s really strong, and that he was some kind of Emperor who ruled a bunch of places.”

“Lord Strom is what we call him,” Jurot said.

‘An Emperor? Named Strom?’ Morkarai tried to gather his bearings. ‘It couldn’t be…’ He swallowed. “You… really gave it away?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

Adam wrapped an arm around Jurot’s shoulders. “This here’s my brother, Jurot. I’m a Nephew of the Rot family, and the Rot family uses axes.”

“And you know of its capabilities?” Morkarai needed to ask again, since his mind had gone blank at the ridiculousness of it all.

“Actually, not really. I hear it’s a legendary weapon and that it can do all sorts, but we’re not strong enough to wield it.”

“Yet you still passed it?”

“Actually, I gave it away before knowing that it was amazing. I just know it was better than… Phantom.” Adam motioned his hand to the axe. “Still, I would have given it to Jaygak since she’s the one who uses swords.”

Morkarai wasn’t sure if Adam was just kidding still. After all, Adam probably didn’t know who or what he was, and so could have been disrespecting him by lying. ‘No,’ he thought. ‘That is impossible. Jaygak stated that it was gifted to her.’

“Plus, she kind of needs it,” Adam said, smiling. “She’s not as bright as me.”

Jaygak clenched her fist, wondering if she could get away with punching him, but she was pretty sure she’d get in huge trouble with Elder Zijin. Even she had limits to her audacity. “I am not stupid.”

“She’s in denial,” Adam joked, laughing.

Jaygak grabbed his arm. “Come with me.” Adam allowed the Devilkin to drag him away. “You can’t say that kind of thing to him.”

“Why not? Is he some kind of big shot?” Adam asked, before realising how stupid the question was.

“Yes.”

“What kind of big shot?”

“A big shot who is here to help the Iyr.”

Adam furrowed his brows. “Help the Iyr?” The Half Elf whispered.

“Yes. He answered the call, so he is a… not quite a Guest, but much greater.”

“Oh.” Adam glanced at Morkarai, whose eyes were glued to the blade still. “Sorry.”

“Just this once, you can’t mess around,” Jaygak whispered.

Adam stared at his Devilkin companion. Jaygak telling him not to mess around meant this was a big deal. ‘Uh oh.’ He looked back at the Fire Giant. ‘I’ve been really rude to him. If he’s a Guest of the Iyr, and a big shot at that, then won’t the Great Elders get mad at me?’

Morkarai remained focused on Stormdrake. ‘If I could take this sword back to…’ His eyes scanned the blade once more. “Would you be willing to allow me to study this sword?” the Fire Giant asked when they returned.

Adam looked to Jaygak. “It’s your sword.”

“I cannot say, for I do not have that right,” Jaygak replied.

“Then may I admire the sword while I remain in the Iyr?” Morkarai asked.

“It would be my honour,” Jaygak replied, respectfully.

‘Something is terribly wrong,’ Adam thought, not liking how respectful Jaygak was being. ‘Just who the hell is this guy?’

“Do you know what this blade does?” Morkarai asked Jaygak.

“No,” Jaygak admitted.

“Would you like to know?”

Jaygak threw a look to Adam for a moment. “If you are willing to give us a few insights, I would be grateful, Lord Morkarai.”

Adam leaned in to listen too.

“I have heard many stories of Stormdrake,” Morkarai said. “It is legendary amongst our people. It reveals its powers to the wielder as they gain strength, and its only through its recognition can one truly use its powers. You will gain its protections, from the rumbles and heat of the storm, of the lightning. You will be able to cast spells in relation to the storms, and great spells at that. It is a legendary blade.”

“When you say legendary blade, Lord Morkarai,” Adam said, politely, “do you mean that it is greater than that of a basic and great bonus?”

“In its final form, yes,” Morkarai confirmed. “For now, it may only hold a basic bonus, until you gain its recognition.”

Adam smiled towards Jaygak. “What a nice sword!”

“Adam…” Jaygak began in the Iyrman’s tongue. “I can’t accept a weapon like this.”

Adam laughed, patting her against her back. “Jaygak! Diamond Rank, here we come!” He continued to laugh.

‘Diamond Rank?’ Morkarai thought, before his eyes fell back to the blade. ‘Should I trade this blade for Giantsfire? If she grows stronger, she should be able to wield it, and it possesses a great bonus that will assist her immediately, and it is a blade which utilises fire, which should be more favourable to her disposition. She would be able to gain the ability to walk through fire harmlessly, and…’

Morkarai forced those thoughts away. ‘No. I don’t have the gall to do that!’ Even he could not dare to even think about coveting this blade. ‘I will just have to admire it while I am in the Iyr.’

Morkarai continued to admire the weapons, seeing how each was enchanted, though Phantom was truly the greatest. “Was it an Ezi who enchanted your weapons?” Morkarai was still trying to piece together how they came to possess such great weapons when they should not have been able to wield them. He also noted that Wizard’s Axe was forged recently.

“I don’t think enchanting is easy,” Adam joked, shaking his head with a smile on his face, before remembering that Morkarai was an honoured Guest. He cleared this throat. “Excuse me.”

“It was not,” Jurot replied, not wishing to lie to the Giant, but he wasn’t going to reveal much more.

“Oh? Not even this Phantom of yours?” Morkarai asked.

“No,” Jurot confirmed.

“Are they not your best enchanters?” Morkarai asked, wondering if that had changed. ‘Did the Iyrmen gain more great enchanters?’

“The Ezi family are still our greatest enchanters,” Jurot informed.

“Interesting.”

Morkarai’s eyes fell onto Adam’s puthral, which he admired deeply. Puthral was a wonderful material, like the Elves’ mithril.

Morkarai’s thoughts froze.

His eyes fell onto the man in puthral, who had not taken off his helmet since he had arrived in the village. He had assumed that he was an Iyrman, but there were things which did not make sense.

He was a Nephew of the Rot family. He also did not take off his helmet, but if he was an Iyrman, he would have.

“May I see your helmet?” Morkarai asked, innocently.

Adam took it off reluctantly, revealing his leaf shaped ears, and the lack of the Rot family’s tattoo.

“Thank you,” Morkarai said, staring at the helmet, but he was deep in thought.

Adam was a Half Elf, one who was close to the Iyrmen, close enough to call of them his brother, and he was Nephew of the Rot family, which afforded him great benefits. Not only that, but he was in puthral, which wouldn’t be handed to him for being a mere Nephew, meaning the Iyr no doubt valued him greatly.

Then there was the matter with Stormdrake. Did he really bet against that man? He mentioned Phantom during the bet. Did that mean Phantom had belonged to him originally? Then he gifted Stormdrake to Jaygak, and Phantom to his brother. If he was capable of gifting a weapon like Stormdrake freely, then it wasn’t unreasonable that he would gift Phantom to the one he called his brother.

“Lord Morkarai,” Adam called.

“Yes?” Morkarai asked.

Adam pointed to his helmet, which had been dented by Morkarai’s sheer strength.

“Ah, my apologies,” Morkarai said, awkwardly. “I was just so excited.”

“It’s alright, I’ll fix it when we get back into the Iyr.” Adam smiled, trying to get along with the Lord since he had probably offended him earlier. He didn’t want to cause more trouble.

‘You will fix it?’ Morkarai thought. ‘You know how to work puthral?’ He managed to not stare at Adam, falling deep in thought.

‘Hmm?’ Adam thought, feeling a tingle on the back of his neck, not realising it was Morkarai’s interest.

Morkarai, too, felt the tingle on the back of his neck, not realising it was Lucy’s interest.