“Did I do something wrong?” Adam asked, following the Chief away from the courtyard. They were heading towards his estate, which was not that far from the shared family estates of this section of the Iyr.

“No,” the Chief replied.

“That’s good then,” Adam said. “For a second there, I thought I was in trouble.”

“Why would you be in trouble?”

“Didn’t I embarrass my Aunts and Uncle?” Adam asked.

“If they are embarrassed, it should be for picking on a young man,” Iromin replied, bluntly. “We are Iyrmen, Adam. We are not Aldish.”

“Sure,” Adam replied. “Though there are a lot of the old folks who seem so much like Aldish that sometimes I forget they’re Iyrmen.”

Chief Iromin sighed. He understood Adam’s words, after all there were still Iyrmen of old who did not like that Adam had come here, and had caused so much change so quickly. The foundation of the Iyr has been stable because it was built over generations, and though they evolved, they evolved at a steady pace as to not disrupt the foundation.

However, within a year, this Half Elf had managed to change so much. He had come into the Iyr like a whirlwind, and had disrupted so much. From becoming an Expert so quickly, to assisting his companions in becoming stronger quickly too.

Then there was that matter, which was most important.

Adam decided against asking Iromin what was wrong. Since he didn’t want to speak outside, there was no need to speak until they were in relatively private space.

“Snacks?” Iromin asked, pushing some of the dried fruit towards the young Half Elf.

“Thank you,” Adam replied, picking up a date, taking out the seed as he ate it. ‘Damn, I forget how good fruit tastes sometimes.’

“I apologise for taking you away from your victory,” Iromin said. “I am sure that you wanted to enjoy your time with your little sister.”

“That’s right,” Adam said, leaning back against the bench. “So I’m sure you have a good reason to take me away.”

“You are a controversial figure in the Iyr. Some dislike you, some for good reason, and others not. I ask you to surrender Phantom.”

Adam picked up a date, staring into Iromin’s eyes. He tore the date apart, placing the seed down, before chewing on the date. It was as sweet as the previous date, though a little mushier. “You want me to hand over Phantom? My precious little Phantom who has helped me all this time?”

“Yes,” Iromin replied.

“Phantom, with its greater enchantment?”

“Yes.”

“Phantom, with its charges for smiting and healing?”

“Yes.”

“Phantom, with its ability to recharge at dawn or with Mana?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a tall ask, Chief.” Adam decided against looking around. If the Chief wanted to take Phantom, it wouldn’t be too difficult for the old man, even if there was not a single other soul around them.

“I won’t ask why,” Adam said. “I think I know. However, you aren’t going to be asking me for Phantom without offering me something in return.”

Iromin slowly bowed his head. “What conditions do you have?”

‘Damn,’ Adam thought. ‘I should have lain low. This is my fault, but still…’ Adam sighed, leaning back against the bench, closing his eyes.

The betrayal hurt him dearly.

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He opened his eyes to stare up at the ceiling, which was made of wood, but there was a pattern designed into it that he hadn’t noticed before. There were a number of creatures, but there were five which caught his attention.

A Dragon. A Dragon Turtle. A Kraken. A Rukh. A…

“Is that Lord Stokmar?” Adam asked, pointing up to the image.

“Yes.”

“Oh,” Adam said, glancing around, taking in the details of the images. ‘I wonder what all those creatures are about.’

Iromin reached for some of his snacks, allowing Adam times for his thoughts, whatever they may be.

‘I said I wasn’t going to joke as much, but I’ve still been messing around. I’m such a useless brother.’ Adam rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. ‘What if they kick me out? What then? I’ve got to act my age, and not my shoe size.’

The Half Elf sighed.

“Okay,” Adam said. “I think I know my conditions.” He reached for another date, tearing it apart, before chewing it.

“Firstly, the business with the enchanting shrines. Since I’m handing over Phantom, a weapon worth many thousands no doubt, one that even the Iyr dares to covet, I think it’s only fair that the next five years are covered. Meaning starting from the first of Dawnval, for the next five years, I don’t need to hand over a magical weapon.”

“That is quite the ask, though it is in the domain of Elder Gold,” Iromin said.

“Can’t you do anything about it?” Adam asked. “You are the Chief.”

Iromin remained silent for a long moment, thinking. “What are your other conditions?”

“Secondly, Phantom will go to the Rot family specifically,” Adam said. “Since I can’t have it, it should at least be in their family. If the Iyr doesn’t trust me, I don’t trust it. However, I trust Aunt Sonarot and the other members of the Rot family, mostly.”

“What is the difference between possessing it yourself and the Rot family possessing it?” Iromin asked. “You are a Nephew of the Rot family, and you have some share of the family’s treasures.”

“Some share, perhaps,” Adam replied. “However, the entire reason we’re having this discussion is because…” Adam grit his teeth for a moment, annoyed that he had to surrender his beautiful Phantom. “I’m not an Iyrman.”

Phantom, who was his first weapon which had been of such a great enchantment. It was his only +2 weapon that he had made to date, and it was his greatest creation.

‘I thought you guys valued actions over words, but that was my own mistake in thinking that,’ Adam thought, taking another date and eating it, trying to remain calm.

“Plus, the axe originally belonged to my grandfather,” Adam said, staring at the Chief.

The Chief sighed. “Do you have another condition?”

“Yes,” Adam said.

“The first two conditions are already quite heavy,” Iromin said.

“This one’s the most important,” Adam said. “After fighting those three and beating them with, if you don’t mind me saying, relative ease, I have found that some people may not like me.”

“Who will not like you?”

“You know exactly who,” Adam said. “Probably the same people who want you to take Phantom away from me because they think I’m too dangerous.”

“What is your condition?”

“I beat up Taygak and Saygak’s mother, and Turot probably isn’t too happy I beat up his parents so easily,” Adam said, hiding his face behind his fist. “You need to help me get back in the children’s good graces.”

Chief Iromin remained silent. ‘Of course it was going to be something like that.’ He could see the worry on Adam’s face. As much as Adam was someone who liked to joke around, Iromin knew his story. After hearing what he had said to Mirot and Jarot, it was no surprise that Adam would ask for something like that.

“Elder Gold will need to confirm the first condition, but I will confirm the last two conditions.”

“Fine, fine,” Adam said, pulling Phantom up, placing it down onto the table.

“I hope to return the weapon to you one day,” Iromin said.

“One day I’ll be able to make something better,” Adam replied.

Iromin nodded. “We Iyrmen are not so different to the Aldish after all.”

Adam smiled. “That’s just how everyone is.”

“Is it? I have heard of your dream to create your inn, the way you wish to help the family of those people.”

“They’d be my people, so of course I’d look after them,” Adam replied. “It’s not like I’ll be paying them a ton, so I need to look after them, right?”

“We are more similar than one might expect,” Iromin said. “You may not be an Iyrman, but your principles are similar.”

“Principles,” Adam said. “I don’t know about that.”

“I can say that for certain, Adam.”

“I can’t.” Adam said, before standing. He placed a hand onto Phantom, as though he were patting Sky’s head for doing a good job. “Thank you for the dates, Chief. I hope you’ll keep your end of the deal.”

“I am an Iyrman,” Iromin said.

Adam nodded, before leaving. He made his way back to the courtyard, where there were a large group of people who were currently eating and partying.

“Where is your axe?” Jarot asked, motioning for the Half Elf to sit beside him.

Adam’s eyes fell on the Great Elders, his eyes scanning them all. His eyes rested on Elder Gold and Elder Forest for a moment before he sat down. “I wasn’t allowed to keep it.”

Jarot furrowed his brows, before looking to the Great Elders. “Who says you are not allowed to keep such a great weapon.”

“Relax,” Adam said. “I surrendered it to the Rot family.”

“Then I will hand it back,” Jarot said.

“No,” Adam said, placing a hand on Jarot’s back. “I have surrendered it to the family. Don’t worry about me, I’ll make a new axe.”

“It is such a wonderful axe,” Jarot said. “Will you be able to create something as great?”

“I don’t know,” Adam admitted, looking up at the sky. “One day I’ll have my own shrine. I’ll go out to find the greatest materials, and I’ll make something that the Iyr cannot take from me so easily.” ‘Something they will have no excuse to steal from me.’ Adam closed his eyes.