Adam rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the wetness away from them. “I didn’t think Charles was going to be so manly.” Adam shook his head, trying to shake the romantic sorrow out of himself.

  Jurot nodded his head slowly, having shared the same feeling with the half elf when he had first heard the story. He had expected Charles’ death, due to the way the story had ged to fog on Charles, but he never would have expected the way he died, or why he did so.

  “Why did he do it?” Adam asked, throwing a gowards Dargon. “Why did he fight so hard for the drakken?”

  “It is expier,” Dargon said, his lips almost twitg into a pyful smile.

  “How much ter?” Adam narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Dargon not tinuing the story after he romised the tale.

  “The chapter,” Dargon assured.

  “When will you tell me about it?” Adam narrowed his eyes at the Iyrman, who seemed to be running away from his promise.

  “Aime,” Dargon said, looking at the dead trikros. “We should find a pce to settle and sleep.”

  “Alright, alright, fine…” Adam grumbled quietly, but he helped them clear the area before they tiheir way.

  The forest seemed much quieter now, with the loomihs of the trikros uling them all. It wasn’t their deaths, but their presences, which had caused the entire forest to grow silent. Soon, the life of the forest began to return, the sounds filling the area.

  When evening had e, they had found a pce to set up camp, a pce which had a few fences buried into the ground, and a small pit for a fire. Nearby, there was also a stream for them to fill their waterskins, and to provide water for their meals. Dargon cooked something light, using their rations this time, as well as some of the trikro meat. The meat was quite tough, though was extremely fatty.

  Adam took a bite, froze for a moment, and then slowly put the meat bato the bowl.

  SpellTricks

  Once he had fvoured it to taste like roasted beef, he returo eating it. It was weirdly chewy, like jelly. The texture left much to be desired.

  The Iyrmen looked at him, their lips trying to keep still, but they couldn’t help but enjoy his struggle. There was something about seeing others struggle ily which brought joy to people.

  “We should be at the vilge by te afternoon,” Argon said.

  “We won’t break muorrow. The vilge may be in trouble if we dey too long.” Tazwyn snapped a cracker in half and bit into it.

  “If it wasn’t for the trikro, we would have made our way closer tonight. We could have pressed on until we were there.”

  “We should have brought Onmar,” Tazwyn said.

  Argon nodded his head, but it was too te for that now. They had refrained fring the Iyrman in order to allow Jurot to grow without so many boons beside him.

  Ohey had finished eating, they began to take their wartches. Adam, as per usual, didn’t take watch, leaving it to the Iyrmen. He wasn’t sure if they trusted him to take watch yet and there was no point in keeping appearances.

  Adam slipped into his bedroll and threw a look over to Jurot, who had his b ed over himself, the familiar blue diamonds and circle knitted along the edges. “Just how many stories do you have like that in the Iyr?” Adam asked.

  “Many,” Jurot replied. “Most Iyrmen learn a few hu least, but there should be at least a huhousand. Only a few know the exaumber.”

  “At least a huhousand?” Adam almost whistled in surprise. “Jeez. Why do you have so many stories?” It was a rhetorical question, but Iyrmen did their best to answer such questions anyway.

  “So we are never fotten,” Jurot said, recalling how they had almost pletely died out so many years ago. “Not all Iyrmen leave the Iyr, but those who d back at least ten stories. Usually, it’s many more stories, and some return with tales of reat warriors.” Jurot smiled, thinking about all the fn heroes he had heard about. “There are many tales of other warriors, those which we have kept within the Iyr. Some have been lost due to the loss of their people, but we keep them.” He thought about Bckwater Crisis, and some of the stories which came after. “Brandon the Bold. Lira of Evergde. Melon.”

  “Melon?” Adam asked. He couldn’t help but feel that name was different to the other too.

  “Melon.” Jurot nodded, recalling the tale. “The greatest slime to ever live. They say it came from another world. It was a slime who created its own kingdom, Monster Heartnd, before it was eventually destroyed. We didn’t believe iory first, but then…”

  “What?” Adam asked, leaning in closer. It reminded him a story which he knew of, though he hadn’t read it all before he had died.

  Jurot’s eyes fshed past Adam, before he gnced away. “I ot say,” he said, noting the looks of the other Iyrmen. There were a few stories entrusted to the younger geion, but they could not speak them so carelessly to outsiders.

  Adam leaned in further, staring harshly at the Iyrman. “You ’t just stop half way through! e on!” He squinted his eyes towards Jurot. ‘What is with all these damn Iyrmen and not finishing their tales?’

  “I ot say,” Jurot said, shaking his head and rolling over, as though finishing their versation there.

  Adam sighed. “If it were anyone else, I’d annoy them until they told me.” The half elf leaned ba his bedroll. Up above, he could see the stars. They were fn stars, though he hadn’t paid too much attention to the night sky in his first life. There were several oddities in the sky, like the green and blue streaks which appeared across the sky. He knew not what they were, but he stared at their mystical beauty.

  “Hey, Jurot?” Adam eventually called out mier.

  “Yes, Adam?” Jurot replied, still looking aside.

  “If I die a manly death, will you tell people my story?” Adam tio stare at the stars.

  Jurot turo look at Adam once more. “Yes,” Jurot said. “I will.”

  Omen: 1, 2

  When they awoke in the m, Adam trekked to the nearby stream to rinse himself off. He had kept by bathing every so often, and with his magic. However, today he was lost in his thoughts. Ainess filled his core.

  He inhaled deeply before dunking himself into the stream, feeling the cold invade him like a thousand daggers, before he pulled back up, gasping for air. He scrambled out of the stream and panted, looking down at his underclothes which stu like a sed yer of skin.

  SpellTricks

  “Is something wrong?” Jurot asked as Adam dried himself off using magic.

  Adam turo look at him. “I don’t want to die a manly death,” Adam said. “I want to live a lovely, long life. You’d better not let me die, Jurot.”

  Jurot squinted slightly at Adam, with eyes full of disappoi. Last night, Adam had gained some respect from the Iyrman, but the half elf was beginning to lose it. Still, Jurot did not fet how well Adam had fought against the undead. ‘Is he the kind of person whose words don’t match their as? Is he what they call a-‘

  “Jurot, hurry up and bathe! We’re not waiting for you all day!” Tazwyn shouted from afar, making her rounds around the perimeter of the camp.

  Jurot swiftly disrobed, dropped his equipment, and tossed himself into the stream. What was the use of thinking? The Iyrman remained withiream for a few moments, the cold attag whatever thoughts he had, before marg out of the stream and grabbed at his clothes, fresh of body and mind.

  “Need some help?” Adam asked, raising his hand.

  Jurot nodded, not wishing to take any more time.

  SpellTricks

  Adam dried Jurot off.

  The trek to the vilge was rushed, with Eshva keeping a for any dangers. There was a sense ency within the Iyrmen today, which hadn’t been there before. After meeting the trikro, they seemed to be pgued by something.

  “How long until we get to the vilge?” Adam asked, trying his best to keep pace with the Iyrmen. He was gd his stitution was so high, otherwise he would have struggled.

  “Late afternoon,” Tazwyn said. “We only hope that they had dealt with the undead well without us if they were attacked.”

  Adam nodded his head in response. He had no idea about the ndscape of the area, and had to trust the Iyrmen, as he had dohus far.

  They travelled from the edge of the forest into the pins, which were rge and expansive. As Adam gnced around, he could see just how far they stretched. Towards his right, he could see that the pio the horizon, and to his left, they curved around the forest.

  ‘We didn’t really do mu the forest,’ Adam thought. ‘Nothing iing happened.’ His lips twitched into a frown, only to recall the two trikros, which were each powerful beasts, enough to threaten Iyrmen. ‘ht.’

  They marched forward through the pins quickly, the ft, solid ground allowing them to move swiftly. Adam could see ane forest in the distance, one which he couldn’t see the end to oher side.

  “Just how big is that pce?” Adam asked, looking back to the Iyrmen.

  “The forest stretches all the way to Northfort,” Tazwyn said.

  “How long is that?”

  “Over six hundred miles,” the woman said.

  Adam blinked. “The forest is six hundred miles long?”

  “It branches out about five hundred miles along for awo hundred and fifty to the east and south.”

  “That’s a big forest,” Adam said, uo speak more critically. “Is anyone in and of the forest?”

  “Many beings are,” Tazwyn said. “West Fort cims a se, and North Aldnd cims the northerions, and the tips of the fork East Aldnd ys a few cims as well. Then there are the small vilges and tribes, the monsters, the bandits, and many others.”

  Adam slowly nodded his head, trying to imagine how anyone could y cim to the forest which spread so long. “What of the Iyr?”

  Tazwyn nodded her head. “We cim most of the forest around this area, though not what you currently see.”

  “We cim the deeper part of the forest,” Jurot said. “Past the river.”

  As they tiowards the forest, Adam spotted a path which led further inward. As they trekked through the edge of the forest, bones littered the floor, like a field of broken flowers.

  Soon he could see a rge fehe perimeter of a vilge. A rge number of vilgers were currently moving piles of bones around, bundling them together and pg them aside. They were casually chattiween one another, as though they hadn’t been struck by a horde of undead.

  ‘These guys are way too happy…’ Adam said, gng between the vilgers as they worked. They each wore something made of boher a bracelet, a ring, or some other accessory piece. ‘I wonder how much half elf bones sell for.’

  “Oh!” called a vilger, waving their hand over to the Iyrmen. “Hello! Wele, Iyrmen!”

  Other vilgers heard the call and turo see the Iyrmen.

  “Iyrmen!” They approached the Iyrmen quickly, ing to give their greetings and generally fussing over them.

  “I see that you hahe task well,” Argon said, nodding his head. From all the bones, he surmised they had dealt with the most pressuring matter.

  “Just about,” a guard said, nodding his head. He wore a thick leather cap, carried with him a shield, and a rge staff. A pair of daggers remained sheathed at his waist. “Gd to see you either way. Had safe travels?”

  “No,” Argon said.

  The guard’s smile quickly dropped. “Oh,” he said. For a moment, panic set in, and he g the Iyrmen’s attire, noting all the scruffiness. It wasn’t the typical ruggedness he expected, but a scruffiness from danger.

  The Chief burst onto the se, having heard the Iyrmen had arrived. He was a tall, portly fellow, with a rge stomach, and a rger smile on his face. He wore a rge feline skull at his navel, ed around with some kind of fibrous rope. “Wele!” he said, embrag each Iyrman tight. He even hugged Adam tight, the skull of the feliering up against the metal of his . “e in, e in. You must be so tired from your journey.” He ushered them inside. “Don’t you worry about the gate fee, I won’t hear about it, just e in.”

  ‘These guys are on top of their gate fee game,’ Adam thought. ‘I almost fot.’

  “ologise for being so te,” Argon said, following the cheerful Chief, whose steps were slightly fumbled as he walked. “We came across two trikro.”

  The Chief froze in the middle of his step, his heel against the ground. He slowly turhrowing a worried look over his shoulder. “What?”

  “We came across two trikro,” Argoed, having stopped behind the Chief.

  The Chief blinked, as though he was clearing out his ears. “Two… trikro? Is th-that right?”

  Argon pulled out the creature’s head from his Bag of Holding, whiy self respeg group of Adventurers owned.

  “Oh my gods.” The Chief stared at the head, pulling back. He gnced around to see the attire of the Iyrmen, dishevelled from a terrible fight. “Where did you find them?”

  “A day and a half away from here, towards Lipetal.”

  “So close?” The Chief’s eyes raised in arm. “We didn’t even realise.” None of the vilgers had found tracks of the trikro so close, which would have been far worse than the horde of undead at their gates.

  “We’ve dealt with it,” Argon assured. “It was a good fight.” His lips formed an Iyrman’s smile, baring a e.

  “Even though we dealt with the undead, two trikro would have been another matter.” The Chief reached for his heart, feeling how tight it tugged. “Please, e a.” The Iyrmen had dealt with a greater threat than he realised, and there was no way he could simply repay this favour. To think they had tio e and assist the uoo.

  The Chief couldn’t help but recall the words of his forbearer, who had always spoken about the Iyr with such great reverence.

  “It’s okay,” Argon said, quickly sing the vilge, noting all the workers. “We will assist your hunting and rebuilding.” He threw a gnce back towards the pair. “Jurot, Adam, assist with the bour.”

  Adam nodded, seeing how everyone was already hard at work, carrying bits of wood here and there, sweeping bones, and cheg the stock of various items.

  Argon then o Tazwyn and Dargon, who remained behind to assist with the vilge, whilst he, Eshva and Kandal went out to hunt for something to eat.

  “You’re not going to help the others?” Adam asked, dropping his pack beside where the Iyrmen had left their gear, out in the open. No one would dare steal from an Iyrman.

  Tazwyn shook her head. “I’m too noisy,” she said, motioning to her pte mail.

  Adam looked down to his mail, then shared with Tazwyn a knowing sigh.

  “It’s best for two Iyrmen to remain behind,” Dargon said. “Just in case.”

  “Just in case what?” Adam threw a look towards the Iyrman who had yet to finish the tale.

  “Arikro appears,” Dargon said, smiling. It wasn’t the smile of a joke, but the smile of hope, hope that he’d get to drive his greatsword deep within a trikro.

  “Will another one really appear?” Adam asked, noting the smile on the Iyrman’s face. ‘These guys o calm down…’

  “Three appearing is equally as unlikely as tearing,” Dargon said, his lips quivering into another smile.

  “So that’s a maybe,” Adam said, squinting his eyes. He thought for a moment about the Experience he would gain. ‘Should I poke fun at Sozain again?’ He g he vilgers all around, including the young children who were trying to sweep the bones aside. ‘Nevermind.

  Athletics CheckD20 + 4 = 5 (1)

  Adam lifted up the lumber, but found it sliding against his armour. The journey had taken quite a toll on him, his feet throbbing with each step, having been uo rest properly this day with how much they had rushed. He groaned, pg down the lumber, and then began doff his heavy armour.

  “Are you okay?” Jurot asked, noting Adam trying to strip in the middle of the vilge.

  “I’m fine,” Adam replied. “I just o take off my armour to make this easier for myself.”

  Jurot nodded, going baoving the piles of wood and boo where they were needed. He kept an eye on Adam, not to admire his glorious physique, with how his various muscles would tug and strain as he lifted the items around, but to make sure he wasn’t overexerting himself needlessly.

  Once Adam had doffed his armour, he gnced around through his helmet. ‘Is it weird to keep my helmet on? I don’t want to paniyone.’ He recalled Jurot’s previous words when they were resting at the first vilge before the undead horde had arrived. He sighed, taking off his helmet.

  A few people nearby gnced his way, wanting to see the face of the Iyrman who was helping them, before tinuing along their way. They froze, quickly snapping their heads towards Adam.

  “An elf!” someone excimed, with the vilgers around reag for their ons.

  Shod panic filled the nearby area, with people grabbing the nearby children, and others quickly drawing their staffs and daggers.

  Adam sighed, rubbing his forehead. “I…” he began, before exg, “am only half an elf!” His voice was full of annoyance. “I’m with the Iyrmen so just rex and accept my help!”

  Athletics CheckD20 + 4 = 12 (8)

  He marched up to a bundle of wood and lifted it up over his shoulder, before st away to the wall which they were reinf and fixing. The other vilgers stared at him, and soon the Chief forced his way onto the se.

  “There really is an elf,” the Chief said, gasping. “I just thought I was drunk.” He had been drinking a little to celebrate throughout the day, so his mind was slightly abuzz. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m with the Iyrmen,” Adam said, dropping the wood and massaging his shoulder. “I came here to help.”

  “The Iyrmen, you say?” The Chief squinted his eyes. “How I believe you.”

  “I walked in with them, didn’t I?”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes. I wore the mail.”

  “Oh,” The Chief said. “You’re that fellow. I was w why you were keeping your helmet on.” The Chief nodded his head, gng towards Adam’s ons at his side, a longsword, and a warhammer of fine make. “Alright, well, don’t do your elfy things here. We’re good, simple folk.”

  “I’ll try and el my human side today,” Adam said, dryly, befoing back to work. ‘Seriously. These guys are always pining about elves, but what the hell did I ever do to them?’

  As evening approached, the Iyrmen who had goo hunt, returned with a boar over each shoulder, and a string of birds and small creatures around their waists, which swayed with each step. They dropped the meat at the tre of town, where the vilgers had already begun the fires to cook.

  “Did you really go out to sughter a family of boars?” Adam asked, noting the six boars they had returned with.

  “Yes,” Argon replied, simple.

  Adam g the assortment of smaller animals, before just nodding his head. “We’re eationight.”

  Soon the vilgers gathered together, beginning to drink and dahere was the thrum of drums, the squeals of wooden flutes, and the strumming of the only lyre.

  “Undead, undead, undead. No, no, no. Dead, dead, dead.” The children cpped their hands too, with the you few looking around, w what the hell was going on, but g along anyway.

  Adam retreated to a dark er, where a half elf could sulk a in peace. Jurot pnted his rump beside him, digging into his food quietly, looking about to all the vilgers.

  “I had expected us to fight the undead, so I’m a little disappointed.” Adam admitted. ‘If I had helped the vilgers with the undead, then maybe they could have viewed we feyfolk a little brighter.’

  “We missed the fight, but fighting isn’t the only goal.” Jurot slurped some of the soup.

  Adam g the Iyrman, blinking at him. He sipped the soup, uo follow Jurot’s words with anything coherent. The soup was well salted, with the smallest amount of cracked pepper. There were a handful of herbs which fvoured the meat.

  The other Iyrmereated from Chief at the tre to the dark er where Adam and Jurot had beeing.

  “We will remain for the night and make haste to the vilge,” Argon said. “They may not have yet to face the uhreat.” He could feel it deep within himself.

  There was something wrong.

  Adam yawned, patting his stomach. “Holy, I ’t wait to get to the Iyr. My feet hurt from all this walking through the forest, and fighting undead is fun and all, but it doesn’t inspire me. Killing something which has already lost once isn’t fun.”

  “Did your feet not hurt when we were hunting boars?” Jurot asked.

  “No.” Adam shook his head. “We spent a lot of time travelling on a proper road, a to rest at a proper pce with a bath…” Adam threw his head back. ‘I wish I could summon my tower.’ His heart wept.

  “You’re very soft,” Jurot said, biting into a cracker which he had saved for the day, eating it with the smallest bit of cheese had had remaining from his rations.

  “Of course I am,” Adam replied back, raising his brow towards the Iyrman. “I’m a Br-,” he cleared his throat, “a half elf!”

  Jurot chewed on his after meal snack, and nodded his head slowly. ‘Half elves must be like that.’ Though he couldn’t bme Adam, he wao return to the Iyr too. He liked the towns and vilges, but nothing was like the Iyr. ‘I wonder if mother is well.’

  Ohey had retired for the night, Adam sleeping in the same room as Jurot for both his and the vilger’s sake, he looked up at the ceiling. Everything had felt so easy retly, with the Iyrmen assisting him.

  ‘Hey, Bell.’

  [Yes?]

  ‘ you see the future?’

  [No.]

  ‘Hmm.’ Adam remained silent for a long moment. ‘Okay.’

  […]

  He refused to eborate further, instead closing his eyes to fall asleep. For a moment, he wondered if Bell could peek into his more intimate thoughts. He hadn’t really tested out the system muow, in the safety of the vilge, he imagined something he dared not to admit, something graphid lewd.

  He waited for Bell’s response.

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