The group didn’t spend much time within the town, marching their way across the land swiftly. They passed by a town roughly equivalent to Red Oak, and then the capital of the South Aldland region, Gold Port. However, due to how quickly they were travelling the group was exhausted, and didn’t get the chance to enjoy the city, as they had approached the city late in the evening, and left an hour after waking up.

“Did you not wish to buy an axe in Gold Port?” Jurot asked.

“I just needed the one,” Adam said, tapping the new axe at his side, which he had bought at the first town. His finger felt almost empty without Wizard’s Axe, but it was a small price to pay for the safety of the others.

Adam glanced back to Nirot for a moment. He wanted to tell her off for trying to start a fight with a monster like that old man, but… ‘My Cousins are the cutest, that’s for sure.’

They continued their way along the road, managing to avoid all manner of fights, from bandits to beasts. There had been a group who had been waiting above the hills, but seeing the large number of Iyrmen, they had decided against trying to claim a road fee.

South Fort was large too, but in a very different way to other towns. It was a large town surrounded by a dozen small forts, and a wall which spread all the way across the horizon. These walls were great, though they were no walls of the Iyr, they no doubt allowed the inhabitants to feel extremely well protected.

The guards were heavily armed, each of them wearing heavy chain mail, and they carried spears. They looked like the guards of any other town, but they stood taller and grander than any other they had seen.

“What is your business in South Fort?” a guard asked.

“We are headed to the Awakened Forest,” Okvar said.

The guard glanced across the rest of the party, noting the lack of tattoos on some of the members. “Not all of you are Iyrmen?”

“They have business within the Awakened Forest.”

“What kind of business?” the guard asked.

Adam raised his brows. “As the one who claimed the forest, I think I can go to the forest without telling you my business.”

“It is business which the Iyr is dealing with,” Okvar said.

The guard glanced between the Iyrmen, and then to Adam and the others. “How long will your business take?”

“No more than a week,” Adam said. “We’ll return quickly.”

“If even one of them is missing you’ll have to answer for it, Iyrman.”

Okvar bowed his head. The gate fee was paid, and the guards allowed the group within one of the small outposts near a fort. Adam paid for their lodgings, which were simple and clean.

The baths weren’t even warm.

Omen: 13, 15

The Awakened Forest greeted the group as they approached towards the late afternoon.

“This is an Awakened Forest?” Brittany asked.

“Yeah,” Adam said.

The Iyrmen’s eyes glanced around as they checked the forest, noting a few of the Iyr’s symbols around, but not much more.

“Jurot and I claimed it when it tried to swallow us,” Adam said. “It’s how we met Lucy.”

“Don’t remind me,” Lucy joked, though she couldn’t hide the stress on her face.

Okvar whistled, and almost immediately, two Iyrmen appeared from the forest’s edge. One wore a pair of daggers, and the other carried a spear.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“We were expecting you a little later,” the Iyrman admitted, shaking Okvar’s forearm, before doing the same with Rasam. However, he knew why the group had appeared so quickly, considering the information which had been burnt and passed to them.

“We came across some trouble, but I assume you’re all doing well?” Adam asked.

“We are,” the Iyrman said, shaking Adam’s forearm.

“You’re a…” Adam squinted at the tattoo, sure he recognised it. A purple six sided star flanked by green ovals. He looked down at the daggers. “A Nuu?”

“Maknuu,” the Iyrman said, nodding his head. “My cousin was with you when you claimed the forest.”

“Right. Jaknuu, wasn’t it?”

He smiled. “You remembered?”

“Argon, Shaman Lokat, Rokat, Jaknuu, Galooj, Sowir, Wujyn, and Okvar,” Adam said, recalling the names of the Iyrmen who had travelled with him early last year. “I don’t make it a habit of forgetting those I owe debts to.”

“Debts?” Maknuu chuckled. “We will not refuse the debt, Fateson.”

Adam smiled. “Good. Let’s not make it awkward between us.”

The group marched through the forest, the trees parting for them. Only minutes passed before they arrived deep within the forest, where an outpost greeted them.

The buildings were made of earth and wood, several large fences spreading out from them like ripples within a lake. Adam glanced around, noting the large number of Iyrmen about, most of whom were in their early twenties, though there were a few who were in their late twenties or older.

There was something off about the area, and that’s when Adam realised. There were no children here, and the air here was not like the air within the Iyr. It was far more tense, with everyone living as though they were seconds away from a good death.

Lucy’s eyes snapped around at the Iyrmen, but not even they could pull her out from her stupor. “I’ll go get a drink.”

“Let’s go see Big Ivory first,” Adam said. “We can drink after.”

Adam felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned back to see the pretty Devilkin. He smiled, reaching up to shake her forearm. “It’s good to see you, Wujyn.”

The older Devilkin smiled down towards Adam, shaking his forearm. “You as well, Adam.” She carried at her side a pair of battleaxes.

“How have you been?” Adam asked.

“I have been well, thank you. Yourself?”

Adam smiled nervously. “Oh, you know.” He swallowed.

Wujyn, too, had heard about what had happened. She was one of the council members of the Forest Iyr, claiming her right as she had been here to assist claiming the Awakened Forest, so she had learnt what had occurred. “Shall I take you to Lord Ivory?”

‘Lord Ivory?’ Adam wondered if he should make a joke. “Sure.”

“Do I have to come?” Lucy asked. She wasn’t sure if she could go and see Mara, not in the state that she was.

“Yes,” Adam stated, firmly. “I’m not sure if he should be called Lord Ivory, but if he’s gotten too big for his boots, we can teach him a lesson.”

Lucy sighed, but followed the group as they made their way out of the village, following the trail which led a few hundred steps away.

A giant tree sat before them. It wasn’t quite sitting, as it was half melted into the earth and the forest, like chocolate which had been left out. He was completely white, with specks of dark blue which crackled with energy.

“It is good to see you,” Big Ivory said, his voice low and deep, full of greater power. His eyes stared down at Adam, and it crossed from Adam to Jurot, then to Lucy. When Lucy had returned previously, she had been quite powerful considering not much time had passed. Yet, seeing Adam and Jurot before him, Big Ivory wondered what had happened, and if he had slept for too long.

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “Did you enjoy your snack?”

“I did,” Big Ivory replied, bowing his trunk head, the tree branches above shaking. “Thank you, friends.”

“Right.” Adam glanced around, seeing all the trees nearby. There were dozens of different types, and he swore he could see faces in their bark. “You know, I came all this way to meet you. Took us almost a month, and we didn’t come across much trouble, but…”

Big Ivory remained silent, noting the way Adam was looking at him. Adam’s eyes were darker than before, and even back then, Adam’s eyes had been quite scary.

“He was one hell of a monster. A monster I never thought I would come across so soon. It hasn’t even been two years, though I suppose I should be glad since last time, I only lasted a year.” Adam sighed. “Seeing you like this, far more powerful than before, and being referred to as Lord…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure whether I should be angry, or upset, or if I’m overreacting.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “It just feels annoying, you know? I mean, I gave you a Dragon heart, and Lucy came back to me all depressed. Then, on the way here, we met with a…” Adam shook his head. “I really want to just cut you to bits, honestly.”

“That would be quite awkward for me,” Big Ivory replied, casually.

“You could at least do me a favour and look like a beautiful woman if you’re going to be stealing one away from me, you know?” Adam frowned.

“Is that why you came?”

“No.” Adam pulled off his ring, and tossed it up to Big Ivory, who caught it with a branch, which whipped the ring out of the air and slipped it onto a branch. “Adult Dragon heart, right?”

Big Ivory probed the ring’s contents, and bowed his head once more. Emerging from the brush was the familiar form of Mara. She was pale, and seemed to have lost a little weight in comparison to before, and whereas her hair was still red, there were new strands of white.

Lucy glanced away from the woman, but the cracking branches caught her attention. Her eyes snapped back to Mara, who was slowly falling from the blanket of vines which had been absorbing her strength. Lucy grabbed the falling Demon, holding her in an embrace, feeling the cold body of her best friend.

“What?” Lucy asked.