Chương 1168: [1094] - Y05.094 - The Start of Nightval

The first week of nightval passed peacefully. The half elf awoke in the morning and worked out lightly along with the children, practising far more harshly alongside Taygak, who joined the half elf during his proper workouts. After breakfast he would take a walk, and sneak away to work lightly, using his spells to create items, as he had done so with the various weapons and armours he had gifted away.

"How can you do this to your daddy?" Adam cried, blowing a raspberry into his youngest daughter's neck.

"You! You are always with mummy, but you don't want to spend time with me?"

"Mama!" Virot squealed, before beginning to groan, reaching out for her mother, who hoisted her up with ease and quietened her down in an instant. Adam huffed, before his head darted down to Damrot, who glanced up towards his uncle, the boy blinking.

"At least you adore playing with me, your father, don't you, my Damrot?" The boy blinked once more, before smiling so brightly, stopping as Adam lifted him up. He squirmed lightly, before clasping his hands together as his uncle kissed his neck and cheek all over, the boy giggling. Xarot and Monarot remained to one side, under the watchful eye of Pam, who knitted a pair of scarves. She sometimes stopped to look down at the pair. They had grown so much in so few months, and the pair smiled whenever they saw her.

Her eyes fell to the boy's ears, so small and leaf shaped, and then to her daughter, whose features were rounder. The children slept so peacefully. She looked around the shared estate, her eyes falling to the figures all around, mostly the young children, and a handful of the adults, the teenagers from the extended families, and then, of course, the likes of Adam.

'Iyrmen.' Pam looked down to the children. It was then she realised why the two felt so different to Virot and Damrot. It was because Xarot, since the day he was born, was considered an Iyrman. The air around Virot had still been slightly awkward, but now, that awkwardness had disappeared. It was a thought that had appeared randomly, all because Pam had challenged herself to admire the babes for a few moments each time she thought of them, to engrave them into her memory.

Even then, she did not know what it meant to be an Iyrman's child, or rather, a child of the Iyr. Then, a large form sauntered her way to the babes, her arms tied behind her back. She stood so tall, so firm, like the statues in front of the Main Iyr. She glared down at the children, taking in the sights of the babes. Her eyes darted to the woman who knitted beside the babes. The girl reached out a hand and held up a thumbs up, nodding her head firmly.

Pam returned a nod to Kavgak, whose hands returned to her back, crossed once more, and watched as the girl sauntered off again, deep within whatever thoughts she held. Then she glanced aside, realising she hadn't seen Jaygak since the festival, though Kitool remained with the children, watching over them.

"Mama," Damrot called, reaching out a hand, while Adam held the boy close.

"Damrot," Pam called. The boy blinked at his mother, before hiding within his uncle's chest, giggling to himself.

"Damrot, you little troublemaker," Adam whispered, nuzzling against the boy's ear, which caused him to squeal again. It was during the second week when it happened. It was finally nightval, the harvest season all but over, so many within the fort had begun the preparations to relax. However, some were unable, as within the estate, which had been cleared out by the Iyrmen, it was happening. The tiny red skinned girl hacked and coughed, while the Iyrmen swiftly cleaned her, before handing the girl to her mother.

Amira's eyes narrowed from exhaustion as she held the tiny form within her arms. The girl was so small, her skin mostly red, slightly darker than the typical devilkin, her horns still tiny nubs at the corners of her forehead, unlike her elder sister's, which had grown slightly. The girl's eyes remained shut tight, as though refusing to allow the outside world to bother her. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Ranya, look," Dunes said, holding his daughter close, as she stood upon his lap, staring at her mother, and the new red skinned babe.

"Enisa."

"Neah?" Ranya asked.

"Enisa," Dunes confirmed.

"That is your little sister." Ranya's eyes darted to the babe, furrowing her brows slightly, before the girl glanced back to her father, who smiled so delightfully. The girl smiled too, revealing her toothy smile to the world, her eyes taking in the sight of her younger sister.

"What-," Dunes began, only to be cut off.

"Damn it," said the voice from the doorway.

"I should have brought a magical sword!" The eyes darted to the doorway towards the young man with leaf shaped ears, who held a blade within his hand, which was finely made, as if by magic, but not enchanted, apparently.

"Adam?" Dunes called, his voice full of confusion, partly because it was the day before.

"What are you doing here?"

"The Iyr told me to come today, and I bought a sword, but now I regret that this sword is not a magical sword!" Adam complained, holding out a blade he had forged through his magic.

"I should have known she was this cute!" After the confusion came the sighs which blamed themselves for having forgotten what Adam was like, and finally, the pair left the mother and newborn baby be, Adam having fussed upon them enough.

"Seriously, if I hear that you've worked at all in the next month, I'll definitely spoil her so much that you'll want to run away," Adam warned, stepping out with Dunes.

"How did you know?"

"The Iyr told me I should leave immediately," Adam replied.

"I panicked, but they said that no one had died. It wasn't that hard to figure it out after that." Dunes smiled, patting the half elf's back. The Aswadian smiled, unable to control it, and kept patting Adam's back gently.

"You have left me speechless, Adam."

"Well, wait until you hear about this," Adam whispered, leaning in slightly.

"I did bring a magical sword."

"You lied?" Dunes replied, his brows shooting up in alarm.

"I didn't say I didn't bring a magical sword, just that the sword I was holding wasn't magical," Adam stated, smirking slightly.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but Amira kind of scares me, but you know that, that's why you married her." Dunes tilted his head slightly, unsure of how to take that.

"Anyway, I brought a magical sword." Adam motioned his head to the carriage. Dunes narrowed his eyes at the magical blade.

"Isn't this…"

"Bloodseeker."

"Is this not Taygak's sword?"

"I asked Taygak for it. I promised her a nicer sword."

'A nicer sword than Bloodseeker?' Dunes thought.

'Is he going to make a Greater Enhanced sword for her?' Adam smiled, understanding that Dunes hadn't yet realised the depths of Adam's depravity when it came to gifts for his adorable cousins and children.

"When it's her first birthday, I'd like you to tell her that it's a gift from myself and my family. The Rot and the Gak." Dunes could feel how heavy the blade became as he held it. He spied the beautiful red gem, the yellow cloth, and then it filled his mind. It was the image of an Iyrman holding off the Primrose Sword, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Primrose. Adam wasn't just gifting the little girl a sword, but something far greater.

"It seems I'll need to work hard to gift her something so great too," Dunes said, sighing in defeat.

"No. You'll gift her something even greater than this sword." Adam reached over to gently pat Dunes' shoulder.

"Also…" His eyes darted around, and he realised there were too many people around. The half elf winked.

"Don't worry about it for now. We'll talk about it another time."

"What?"

"Right now there's something more important I need you to do. I know that Enisa was just born, beautiful name by the way, but…"

"It means good friend." Adam held Dunes' sight for a moment, his cheeks turning slightly red, a small smile appearing on his face.

"It's a good name." Dunes smiled, slowly nodding his head.

"It is." Adam continued to small, but it slowly twitched away.

"I need a favour."

"What is it?"

"Tomorrow… I want you to come with me." Dunes inhaled deeply. If Adam was asking Dunes to leave his newborn child, and his wife who had gone through labour, then it was important.

"Okay."

"Thanks." Before the half elf left, he picked up Ranya, pinching her nose and hugging her tight, before she complained and reached out for her father. Adam forgave her, of course, since she was so cute.

'I need to spoil her more often,' Adam thought, feeling the ache within his heart. She had become so big so quickly, and he had been so busy this year that he had been unable to watch over her. Manager Jonn watched the carriage leave. Adam had apologised profusely to the half elf for not being able to take him, which only made Jonn feel sick to the stomach. Why did Adam apologise to him, when he was to blame?

Dunes had always found the Iyr to be terrifying, but it was today, when they cleared the entire distance to the Main Iyr, all for the sake of two children, that he realised the Iyr was clearly insane. His eyes turned to Adam, who barraged Dunes with all the stories of his children. No, perhaps the Iyr was pretty normal after all?