The children explored the area near the camp, never straying more than a few hundred metres away, all under the watchful eyes of their elders. They enjoyed the first day out, finding wild fruits which had been frozen by the snow, and those which still clung to the frozen nature around them.

The fruit was eventually defrosted while they cooked some beans and flat breads, with Adam allowing them to use some of the butter they had brought, melting the butter against the heat of the flat bread for more flavour.

The children played with one another within the fort, throwing the snow at one another, writing within the snow, building their own forts.

Asoyah shuffled up to Adam, bringing with him his partner. He nodded to Moyah first before gaining his confidence. “I can bring back some fruit for Aunt?”

“Sure,” Adam replied, ruffling the boy’s hat. “What a wonderful young man you are.”

“I will also bring fruit back for mother,” the child beside Asoyah said.

“What a wonderful young woman you are,” Adam said, ruffling her hat too. The girl snorted at Adam, but couldn’t hide her small smirk.

The day continued, all the while the watches shifted, with mostly the teens keeping watch, though one of the older four would come to assist to give them a break.

‘This would have been simpler with Hades and Zeus,’ Adam thought, wondering if the village was taking care of his giant elk steed. “Hey, Jurot, can I call for Hades? I’ll only have him on the tower to help us keep watch…”

Jurot knew the rules about Familiars, especially those which could fly. “Yes.”

“Really?”

“He must remain on the tower at all times,” Jurot stated.

“Yeah, sure!” Adam said, snapping his fingers, before his owl Familiar appeared on his shoulder. “Head up to the tower and keep an eye out on things.”

Upon his command, Hades took flight, perching on the tower. Rokez, upon seeing the owl, reached down to their blade, before Adam shouted up at them with a random shout, causing the pair of teen Iyrmen to look his way. They saw the look Jurot was giving them and decided against pulling out their blade.

Omen: 8, 12

The children understood that the days were routine. Wake up, clean up the area around them, wash themselves, using Adam’s tower as a bathroom. Adam and the others used the bath within the fort, which was novel to Adam, in the same way the tower was novel for the children.

They ate breakfast, oats with fruit, before taking to the walls to scan around the area to make sure there were no creatures nearby. After checking for threatens, they split off into four groups, each of which would be led by one of the four from Adam and his companions, with one of the teens as the secondary leader.

Adam, Kitool, and a pair of teens, took the group of children out of the fort, exploring further away that day. It felt awkward to allow them to go this far, especially with the warnings of the Iyr. However, hearing their joyful gasps and their jabbering between one another about this thing and that, Adam smiled, allowing them to explore the Iyr that even they had not seen before.

Kitool narrowed her eyes, spotting something in the whiteness beyond. “Adam,” she called, grabbing her staff.

Perception Check

D20 + 3 + 23 (20)

“Oh, crap,” Adam whispered, spying the five forms laying low, before meeting the wolves’ eyes.

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 12 (11)

“Let’s go!” Adam said, shouting at the group, with the teens and Kitool quickly darting towards the children, who ran towards the adults.

Mana: 18 -> 15

Spell: Fireball

8D6 = 26 (1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 6)

26 damage!

The magic coursed through Adam’s veins as he held up his die. “Explosion!” he chanted, calling forth a bead of red which fell from the sky, engulfing the wolves with fire.

‘That should do it,’ Adam thought, before four wolves leapt out of the flames towards him, their mighty forms rushing towards him. ‘What?’

Health: 65 -> 58

Strength Save

D20 + 6 = 17 (11)

The wolves slammed up against Adam, forcing him to take a step back. He kept them at bay with his magical shield, managing to keep himself upright from their strength.

‘What kind of wolves tank a Fireball and then keep charging?’ Adam thought, backing away from the four, who were nipping at his shins. ‘Fucking Iyr.’

A wolf darted past Adam, and though he had faith in the Iyrmen, there was too much at stake. A single claw or bite from the wolf would kill any of the children, and Adam knew how unlucky people could be, and so did the only thing he could think of.

“Explosion.”

Mana: 15 -> 12

Spell: Fireball

8D6 = 32 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6)

32 damage!

Health: 58 -> 26

Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0

2D6 + 5 = 14 (4, 5)

Health: 26 -> 40

Fire roared over the Half Elf, who had cast the spell in a way which would strike all the wolves, and the only way he could guarantee it was to cast the spell directly over himself.

The teens had managed to catch the sight of Adam casting the spell atop himself, the same thought passing through their minds as they grabbed the children and began to flee from the scene.

‘He is crazy.’

The fire licked all across Adam’s form, though he flexed his muscles, inhaling deeply as he managed to regain some of his Health. The snow around him had melted, and he carefully stepped away from the water, not wanting to slip, leaving the charred forms of the wolves behind.

‘That really hurts,’ he thought, though he continued to slowly stomp back towards the fort, seeing the distant forms of the Iyrmen as they retreated back to the fort.

Howls echoed.

Adam looked back over his shoulder, seeing a pack of wolves darting towards him. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’

Mana: 12 -> 9

Spell: Fly

Adam’s feet floated upwards from the snow, and he turned, flying backwards as he held out his hand, forming a fist.

Trick: Flame Bolt

Adam rained down Flame Bolts from the heavens towards the wolves, managing to slay them as he retreated back towards the fort. He flew upwards, but his body shuddered, and he quickly flew near the ground, following the retreating forms of the Iyrmen.

‘I probably shouldn’t get too high up,’ Adam thought, not wanting to give the Iyrmen any reason to kill him.

Victory!

Wolves

XP Gained: +100

XP: 16 000 -> 16 100

“Wolves?” Jurot asked, holding Phantom in hand, ready and eager to fight.

Adam dropped down, having flown over the locked gates, his eyes quickly scanning the scene to see the children all clustered together, holding onto their daggers tightly. Jaygak was with them, as well as Kitol and two of the teens, while the other two quickly took their place beside Jurot and Adam.

“I wouldn’t call them wolves,” Adam said. “I’d call them Iyr wolves.”

“They grow well in the Iyr’s lands,” Jurot said, his voice full of pride.

“You Iyrmen are crazy,” Adam said.

“You cast Fireball against yourself?” Jurot asked, noting the blackness against Adam’s armour and clothing.

Adam decided against replying as he marched atop the wall, while Kitool leapt up onto the tower, scanning the horizon with her keen eyes. She spotted more wolves charging the fort, many of them coming from where the group had just fled from, but another pack approached from the opposite side.

“Kids, into the cabin,” Adam ordered, before looking to the teens. “You all get into the cabin too, and make sure you don’t come out until I tell you.”

“We can fight,” Moyah said.

“Not as good as us,” Adam said, snapping his fingers before pointing to the cabin. “I’ll stay on the tower and rain down magic. Kitool, Jaygak, you two cover the side we just came from, Jurot, you can hold off the small pack heading from the other side.”

Kitool leapt onto the snow, following Jaygak to their position, and Jurot marched his way to the gates, all the while rushed to the tower, where he could oversee the battlefield.

The children did not see the carnage which came from the original four members of Fate’s Golden, with Jaygak’s magic burning the wolves while Kitool struck them to bits. Jurot held off a pack by himself, feeling their teeth sink against his muscles, their claws slashing against his steely pecs, though they did not fell him as he slew them, one by one. Adam’s magic managed to soften a few of the wolves, but he did not need such support.

‘Something’s wrong,’ Adam thought, noting how they had cleared the area. Wolves were beasts, and beasts which came across waves of fire usually fled, especially if it was the magics of an Iyrman and a queer Half Elf. Yet, these beasts seemed hell bent on charging towards them, even climbing across the fort’s walls to get to them.

‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’