“Goblin children?” Mirot asked while feeding her son. “Just what is your Nephew thinking?”

“He has accepted them as his children,” Sonarot replied, brushing her daughter’s hair while she half lay on top of her, half asleep. “They will be accepted by the family. I will speak with mother about it.”

Mirot wasn’t sure how she should feel about this. It was one thing to accept Adam into the family so quickly, but now to accept children which he had adopted? It was a different matter if Adam had become an Iyrman, but he was a Nephew with a vague relationship with the Iyr.

“Goblin children?” Kaygak said. “It has never been done before. Why did he wish to accept the Goblins as his children? Does he truly believe they are his own? Since when was a Goblin an Iyrman?”

“There has never been a Half Elf Nephew either,” Sonarot said. “If Adam says they are his children, they are his children. It is our way.”

“Our way, but is it his?” Kaygak asked.

Sonarot remained quiet, frowning slightly. Before she could respond, a voice cut through the air.

“Aunt,” called a familiar voice, and Adam appeared, holding his three children in his arms. “Look! I have three more children.”

The Iyrmen women had been gathered together in the corner, speaking with one another while the others ate at the centre. Adam had made his way right to them, revealing the silver scaled Dragons, who gripped him tightly.

The Iyrmen remained silent, and those at the fire stared at Adam, unsure of what he was doing, or what the joke was. They glanced between one another, and even Adam’s companions were utterly confused.

“They are your children?” Sonarot asked.

“Obviously,” Adam said, his heart still pounding harshly within his chest. The stress was weighing on him, but he was fighting it away. “Why else would they be this cute?”

“When did you have such children?” Sonarot asked, reaching up to gently stroke one of their tails, which snapped away from her finger.

“I had them before…” Adam paused. “I had them before I stepped foot in this land.”

Sonarot tilted her head slightly, immediately understanding what he meant, before she smiled. “What wonderful news.” She stood up, the smug smile on her face evident to the other mothers. “I will gather the blankets.”

First it was a Half Elf, then it was Goblins and Dragons. The Rot family now held all these different races, all because of one figure.

Adam carried his three children to the fire, which caused the Dragons to squirm, but he wrapped his arms around them and hugged them close, nuzzling into their faces as they licked up at his cheeks and chin. “Aren’t they so cute? My adorable little children.”

The others weren’t sure what to think. From Jonn to Dunes, none understood what was happening.

“You have Dragon children?” Vonda asked. This was as surprising as the fact Adam had adopted Goblins. ‘Where did they come from?’

“That’s right.” Adam nuzzled their noses, before they eventually rested their heads against his shoulders, the Dragon with her scale missing circled around onto his lap before nestling herself there.

The Chief brought Adam’s other children, the Goblins, to the Iyr too, each of them in their own little basket. He placed them down near the mothers, before bowing his head and leaving.

“Five children,” Adam said, rubbing his cheeks between each Dragon child. They didn’t seem quite as feeble as the Goblin children, so he showered them in his affection eagerly. However, he could feel his ears pulse.

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‘How the hell am I going to raise them?’ Adam thought. ‘I’m an adventurer. I need to go out and quest. What are they going to do? Stay in the Iyr? Could I ask the Iyrmen to do that for me?’

Jurot glanced at the Dragons, noting their features. He couldn’t see how they were related, so assumed that Adam had adopted them, but he had heard what Adam had said to his mother. ‘Has he been tricked?’ Seeing how happy Adam was, Jurot left it. Since he had accepted them into his heart, it didn’t matter.

“You cute little…” Adam looked down at them, wondering what they were. ‘Damn. I can’t tell if they’re boys or girls…’ “You cute little babies.”

“I am now an uncle?” Jurot said, aloud.

“They’re my children, Jurot,” Adam said, looking to his brother.

Jurot nodded. “Then they are my nieces and nephews.” He looked to the Goblin children, and steeled his heart around the concept.

“How am I meant to feed them?” Adam whispered, glancing at the Dragon children, wondering how they had survived on their journey to the Iyr. ‘Captured by bandits? Those bastards are lucky they’re dead.’ He looked down at the scars around the Dragon on his lap. ‘You better keep them locked up tight, Baktu.’

“I will feed them,” Sonarot said, sitting down beside him. Lanarot looked at the Dragons, shocked. She had been napping on her mother, and had only awoken then to see the creatures. She pulled back, hiding into her mother’s chest.

“Won’t that be difficult for you? You’re still looking after Lanarot, and there’s also Gurot and the others…”

“We will look after them,” Shikan said, having overcome his initial shock. “You will have no need to worry about them.”

“If they are your children, then there is nothing to discuss about the matter,” Citool said.

“If only my daughter was so cute,” Jogak said, only to feel a jab at his arm from nearby.

“Right? Aren’t they so cute?”

“They don’t even have horns!” Jaygak said.

“That’s true…” Adam looked down at his Dragons. “It’s okay, you’re already so cute without horns. She’s just jealous of your glittering scales.”

Jaygak remained silent, the words truer than Adam could imagine. ‘They are really cute…’

Adam inhaled deeply. “Thank you. I’ll make sure to bring back more for the Iyr.”

Sonarot smiled. “You already bring back so much.”

The Iyrmen children had been listening intently to the adults, wondering what was going on.

“Cousin Adam children?” Taygak asked.

“That’s right,” Adam said. “They’re my cute children.”

Taygak looked down at the Goblins near her own sister, before looking back up at Adam. “Goblin, Adam children?”

“Yes. They are also my children too.”

Taygak stared up at him with a blank look. She blinked. “Okay.” She turned to face the other children. “You listen?”

“Yes,” the children replied.

“Okay,” Taygak replied, having confirmed that the children knew Adam had children now.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Adam, staring at him as he played with his children. He was smiling wide, overwhelmed by the children, but the flames brought shadows to his face.

“Congratulations, Adam,” Mara said, a warm smile on her face.

“Thank you,” Adam replied, keeping his arms around his Dragon children.

When night came, Adam let his children go free. They all snuggled beside him, however, trapping him underneath. Lanarot stared at the Dragons, still shocked, before she climbed up beside her mother, whimpering. The Goblins had been taken away by the other mothers, who had been sleeping in a separate area since their children were all still so young, and would work in shifts to look after them.

The Dragons pinned Adam’s arms down as they lap across them, the other laying across his chest. They purred quietly, causing Lanarot to look their way, before she finally dropped down beside her mother again, sucking her thumb.

Soon the children were all asleep, leaving the adults awake. Adam tried to fall asleep, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t because the Dragons were sleeping against him awkwardly, and though he wished they would gather together, he allowed them to pin him to the floor.

His stomach ached, and not because of the Dragon’s weight, but rather the weight of fatherhood which he had first chosen, and then was thrust upon.

‘Five kids?’ Adam thought. It was something he hadn’t imagine, and even the day before, when he had chosen to adopt the Goblins, it hadn’t struck him. Yet, now with the silver scaled creatures which snoozed against him, it felt all the more real.

‘How am I meant to look after them? I can’t even look after my friends, and they’re pretty damn strong too…’ Adam winced, the memory of dropping like a fly struck him again, a daily occurrence which did not allow him to forget.

‘Stronger,’ Adam thought. ‘Stronger. Even if it’s a little chaotic, I need to get stronger. Things are different in this world. Everything is so much bigger, and everything is so much more powerful. I’ve got such adorable children now. Two little Goblins, a little boy and girl, and three little Dragons.’

He closed his eyes tight, trying to force himself to sleep. ‘Damn it. What have I done? Adam, you fucking idiot. What were you thinking?’

Quest Complete: Children Safe

XP Gained: +500

XP: 12 400 -> 12 900

Adam inhaled deeply, before letting out a long sigh, once which Sonarot and Jurot heard. They heard him fall asleep a long while later, before sleeping themselves.