Chương 1536: [1445] – Y06.345 – Training X

The days passed by, the rains of duskval kept the Iyr company, as it had for generations. The rivers flooded, seeping nutrients into the nearby soil, next year's harvest thankful for the thoughts of Nahtu. Chosen tapped the tip of his nose with his stylus, staring down at the paper before him, for he was assisting with the calculations for the Front Iyr.

Tanagek beside him also eyed up the numbers, double checking the Iyrman's work, then after stamping them with his seal of approval, sent it off to the various Elders.

"Papo," Konarot called as Tanagek returned, waiting for him to approach so she could reach up to hold his hand. Since the triplets finished their schooling around the time Tanagek finished his work, the triplets would come to find him at his work, though eventually he promised to pick them up. Even now her hands were small, Tanagek thought, while Kirot and Karot followed behind, their tails swaying behind them.

Their eyes were focused upon the large buildings of the Iyr, which contained unexplored treasures, their imaginations running wild in the knowledge of the unknown. Tanagek led the triplets to a nearby park, watching over them as they played with the other Iyrmen children. The park was simply designed, as the Iyr preferred, a large open field with a handful of trees to one side, bushes littered around, a small field of flowers to adore, and a handful of benches sprinkled through.

"Tana!" Jogek called, approaching his cousin. He was handsome, as the Gek were, his face more boyish, with long hair which fell to his shoulders, a blade at his side.

"You brought your children?"

"They are not my children," Tanagek replied, not for the first time, and not for the last. Jogek chuckled, elbowing his cousin in the side.

"It is about time to have children! You should marry too, and give your mother and father more grandchildren."

"If you wish to fight, you may draw your blade."

"Later tonight we can spar," Jogek assured, accepting for the first time, causing Tanagek to narrow his eyes.

"Tana, you should bring your children to eat with us-," Tanagek brought his sheathed blade onto his cousin, who slipped away quickly, chuckling loudly, holding up his hands to defend himself.

"Good afternoon, papo Jo," Konarot called, rushing up to her uncle's cousin, who was her uncle too.

"Good afternoon, little Konagek," Jogek replied, greeting the triplets one by one, ruffling their hair, noting the dancing light atop their silver hair.

"Look," Konarot said, pulling down her sleeve to reveal her bracelet made of beads.

"Oh? Did you make it at school?" Jogek asked, as though his own son hadn't shown him a small bead bracelet when he returned from school.

"Mm!"

"Our Kona, Ki, and Ka are so good at choosing such fine beads," Jogek said, beaming down at the children, whose tails swayed under their uncle's compliments.

"Jagek made a lovely bracelet," Konarot informed, as if their uncle wouldn't have already seen it.

"Oh? My son? Did you help him with making it?"

"Just a little bittle," the girl replied, holding up her finger and thumb almost together.

'That is why it looked so nice?' Jogek thought.

"Thank you for watching over my son, little Kona. With a dependable cousin like you, he is so lucky."

"Karot looks after him so well," Konarot informed, reaching out to Karot, while Jagek rushed over towards them, having only just noticed his cousins had slipped away. He was slightly thinner than the children, though he played well, the boy charged at his father, grabbing his leg, cackling with joy.

"We should go, but I will bring Jagek to play dragonchess with you soon," Jogek promised.

"Jogek, you can eat with us," Tanagek said, reaching down to pick up his nephew, who eyed up Tanagek curiously still, for it hadn't been long since they had met. However, Tanagek held the same tattoos as his father, so he felt at ease within his uncle's arms. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. The triplets rushed into the estate, followed closely behind by little Jagek, within the watchful gaze of the older Geks.

"Whoa, whoa, here comes trouble!" Adam joked, ruffling his children's silver hair as they gathered around him.

"No…" Konarot replied as she fixed her hair.

"You are trouble, daddy."

"I'm trouble?" Adam gasped, pinching his daughter's cheeks.

"You! You're so cheeky now, huh?" Konarot snickered lightly, the girl holding her father's wrists, until he finally let her cheeks go. The girl rubbed her cheeks lightly, her mother's warm hands replacing her own as the woman smiled down at her, having already greeted her younger siblings.

"This is Jogek," Tanagek informed, introducing his cousin.

"Adam," Adam replied, reaching over to shake the Iyrman's forearm, fairly certain he had seen the Iyrman around.

"I have heard much of your exploits, cousin," Jogek said, grinning wide.

"Oh dear," Adam replied, causing his children to laugh at his joke.

"I would say I've heard of you, but that's a lie. My Jirot, though, she probably knows of you."

"We have met," Jogek confirmed.

"Am I the only one who hasn't met you?"

"We passed one another previously, but I have remained in the Front Iyr while you left."

"Let me guess. You're…" Adam paused a moment to consider which monster he would be related to, sine he was a Gek.

"Granduncle Dogek's grandson?"

"I am," the young Iyrman confirmed, grinning wide. Adam turned to look to his wife, surprised he managed to figure that out.

"My brother is better at figuring out whose son is whose with his eyes, but sometimes…" Jogek chuckled lightly, glancing down at his son, who held his hand and stared at the seams of his trousers.

"This is my son, Jagek. Our children are in the same class, thankfully, for your triplets watch over him." Adam glanced down to the boy, who was so thin, then to his triplets, his lips twitching to a smile.

"It's a good thing my children spend so much time with their mother, otherwise you'll need to have a better watch of your son." Jogek threw a look to Tanagek, who replied with his eyes that this was just how Adam was like.

"Well done," Adam whispered to his triplets, scratching behind their horns gently, still smiling wide, for how could he not reveal his pride for his children, who were so well behaved. His heart skipped a beat, forcing away the dark thought.

"Jagek, this is your uncle, Adam," Jogek said, his son hiding behind his sleeve, clutching at it tight.

"Hello, Jagek! Do you know who I am?"

"Kona's father?"

"That's right! Aren't you so smart, mister Jagek, huh?" The boy flushed, hiding further within his father's sleeve, the young Iyrman lifting his son up, before greeting the others around.

"Oh! Papo Jogek, you are here?" Jirot asked, stomping her way forward, Jarot followed after her, but she paused as Virot rushed over to almost tackle her.

"I am here," Jogek confirmed.

"Are you keeping out of trouble?" Jirot glanced aside slightly, smirking playfully.

"Of coas?" Jogek joined the group for lunch, Jagek sitting beside him, eating the soup slowly, while Konarot, Kirot, and Karot sat nearby, talking with the boy. Jirot fed Jarot and he fed her, the pair also feeding Virot, while Adam and Vonda fed their twins. Jogek noted the relationship between them all, understanding how each came to such a position. He knew of the triplets well, due to their relationship with his uncle, especially after hearing the circumstances behind it.

Tanagek waited until lunch had passed, Malfev taking the children for a walk, including little Jagek, taking the boy back home, before he walked off with Jogek. The moments continued to pass, the air of the Iyr crisp and clear as ever, the grey clouds threatening to bring a greater rain for the evening, a gentle shower accompanying them midway through their own walk.

"The years have passed by so quickly," Jogek said.

"We used to play within the fields of the Main Iyr, and now I find myself in the Front Iyr, as is my place, and you? You find yourself in the Front Iyr, but it is not your place, here, in this village of ours."

"The Iyr is the Iyr, Jo."

"I am to train to become an Expert," Jogek said, reaching up to rub his nose.

"I have recently learned our ways, but for the next few years, I must fight, and I must learn, and pray the Reavers do not come."

"They will not come," Tanagek replied simply.

"The Reavers will do as the Reavers will do, but…" Jogek paused for a long moment.

"It is the Reavers today, but tomorrow, who will come?"

"Do you worry so?"

"I worry because I am not you, Tana," Jogek said.

"You do not worry, because you have no children yet, but you will understand, perhaps, half of what I worry. You, the rising star of this generation, who will surpass your father, and, if I know you as well as I do, even grandfather."

"Perhaps," Tanagek replied, but the mountain known as Duteos was not so easily surpassed.

"If your son was weak of body, if he stumbled as much as mine, if he was so easily distracted, you would not understand, because your son would look at you, and he would hear your tales, and he would know pride in his heart, but my son? Jagek, he will hear your tales. He will hear his greatfather's tales. He will wonder, why is his father so…" Tanagek turned to face Jogek, thinking on his words. There was much he could say to his cousin, but for he, who was perhaps even less talented than Jaygak, what could he say?

Jogek, who was good of humour, for he needed to be, for all those with no talent were raised so.

"Gogek is talented, his son and daughter already know, but this elder brother of his…" Jogek shrugged his shoulders, letting out a gentle huff.

"I worry for your brother, but I do not worry for you, Jogek," Tanagek said.

"I will prepare my armour for tonight." Jogek bowed his head, smiling gently.

"Thank you, cousin Tana."