Adam inhaled deeply, feeling the coolness against his shoulders. The Iyr had provided him thin metal pauldrons, which he cooled with his Tricks.

‘Seriously, how did I not feel it yesterday?’

Konarot stared up at him with a tiny frown, seeing as how her tall father was brought low by something wicked. Kirot and Karot remained nearby, trying not to bother their father, leaving this matter to their older sibling.

“What is wrong?” Vonda asked, approaching Adam, who was topless, save for the metal pauldrons. His body was well built, like a statue from the capital, though she quickly averted her gaze.

“Lord Morkarai’s blade was hot,” Adam replied. “I didn’t feel the heat last night, but in the middle of the night I could feel it.”

“It is best to deal with burns right away,” Vonda said, noting the ointment and bandages which were prepared for the Half Elf.

Adam started rubbing the ointment against his shoulders, wincing as he raised his arms. Vonda scooped some ointment before rubbing it against his skin, causing Adam to grow red. ‘How embarrassing.’

“Huu,” Konarot complained sadly, frowning up at her father.

“Are you worried about me, little babby?” Adam asked, seeing how close she was to crying. “Don’t worry, daddy’s a lot stronger than he looks.”

Konarot scooped some ointment, feeling how cool it was to the touch. It distracted her for a moment, before she began to slap and rub her father’s shoulders.

Health: 65 -> 64

Adam winced, clutching at his knees from how rough his daughter was slapping the ointment against him. ‘What a good girl my daughter is!’

“Gently,” Vonda said, holding the girl’s hand, helping her lather the ointment against Adam’s shoulders. Konarot looked up at the Priest of Life for a moment, her eyes curious, but she returned back to helping her father.

Vonda bandaged Adam, wrapping it across his shoulders, and then across his front. She tried to ignore his physique, but he had the allure of a Half Fae, who possessed some innate beauty from his Fae blood, but also the ruggedness from his Human blood. She inhaled deeply, before exhaling to the side, trying to calm herself.

“Thanks,” Adam said, quietly.

Vonda bowed her head, taking Konarot with her to wash their hands, before returning to see Adam beside a small basket which contained a pair of tiny slumbering twins.

“There is talk that you defeated Lord Morkarai, Prince of the Fire Giants,” Vonda said.

“I did.”

Vonda remained silent for a long moment. She had known Adam for some time, well over a year at this point, and his ability to surprise her constantly caused her to pray daily. ‘They said he could fight a Great Elder…’

“I was lucky,” Adam said. “Well, I was lucky and had Phantom in hand.”

“Is Phantom so powerful?”

“Phantom is extremely powerful,” Adam said. “It holds, for a single strike, power greater than a Fireball. If you’re lucky, it hits twice as hard as a Fireball.”

Fireball.

It was a spell which was synonymous with Adam at this point, something which she had seen wreak havoc upon the creatures they faced. He had done what none of them could do, and was the greatest reason they managed to survive during the Outbreak.

Then there was that man.

An older man they had randomly met on the way to help Mara. Adam had used his trusty Fireball and it had been utterly useless, and considering Morkarai was a Prince of Fire Giants, it would have been quite useless against him too. Adam, whose strength came from his absolute ridiculousness, was almost entirely useless against such an imposing foe.

‘Your existence could only be matched by those who would spit at the Gods.’ Vonda sighed. “Will there be a time I can understand you, Adam?”

“I don’t know,” Adam admitted, shrugging his shoulders, wincing. “Perhaps one day, Sir Vonda. One day.” Adam reached up to tickle Konarot’s cheek, smiling at the girl.

Vonda smiled, keeping her words to herself. Watching Adam with his children filled her heart with ease, so she remained silent to allow the moment to take them. She looked to the pair of twins within the basket, the babies sleeping soundly.

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Jurot arrived, bringing with him a basket of food for the group which remained to look after the children. “Sir Vonda.” He greeted the Priest of Life, nodding his head towards her.

“Jurot,” she replied, bowing her head.

Jurot sat down beside Adam, his eyes falling on his nieces and nephew, each of whom sat beside their father. Konarot hid behind her father’s arm, noting that Jurot was looking at her.

“Did you expect to win?” Jurot eventually asked, the group all eating from the basket.

Adam placed some of the thin sliced meat into some bread, before offering it to his children first. “No.”

Jurot remained silent, eating his own sandwich. He chewed slowly, chewing his thoughts more deeply.

Jirot began to cough and cry, and Adam picked her up. He cooed to her quietly, before realising it was time for her to eat. He glanced to the women around, each of whom were not any Iyrmen he was familiar with.

“Come,” the woman from the Rot family called, and Adam handed the girl over. Jurot’s eyes remained fixed on his aunt, his father’s cousin, but as she completed her duty, his eyes fell back to his food.

‘Damn this is so awkward,’ Adam thought, before hearing baby Jarot cough. He picked the boy up and held him against his strong chest. He could feel the ache of the burns, but ignored them.

“I will feed him,” Vonda said, causing Adam to freeze. She held out her arms, and Adam handed the tiny Jarot to her. Vonda held the boy for a moment, staring down at him, before beginning to feed him.

‘Should I have been born a woman?’ Adam thought. ‘This would have been less awkward.’

Jurot could see it, the fact that Adam was thinking something stupid. He decided against calling Adam out, and instead continued to think about Adam’s fight with Morkarai. “It was a good fight.”

“Yeah? I suppose it was.”

“There are not many who earn the right to face such a foe in battle, Adam.”

“Do you want to fight him?”

“Yes.”

Adam smiled. “Should I go ask?”

“No,” Jurot replied. He had not yet earned the right. Perhaps one day he may, but that day had not yet come.

“I still can’t believe I won,” Adam admitted. “I understand how you guys all feel now.”

“No,” Jurot stated, firmly.

Vonda nodded her head at Jurot’s statement. Adam beating Lord Morkarai was utterly insane, but just this alone was not something which should shock Adam. It was the small things, as well as the big things, which shook them to their core.

“Konarot, your uncle is bullying me,” Adam said, frowning.

Konarot stood on her father’s lap, hugging his head, before looking back at Jurot with a glare in her eyes. Karot and Kirot also stood, hugging their father’s arms, pouting up at their uncle.

Jurot remained silent, wondering if Adam really wanted him to get along with his nieces and nephews.

Health: 64 -> 63

“Why are my kids so cute? Are you going to protect daddy? Wow, you’re all so big and strong now, what am I to do?” Adam winced in pain as they continued to embrace him. “Good job, little babbies. Jurot will not bully me any more, so you can stop it now.”

Konarot held her father’s head, resting her head against the top of it. She could feel the warmth of her father against her cheek. Her tiny hands pet his head gently.

Adam shook his head, tickling the girl, causing her to almost fall, though Jurot’s hand held her back. “Jurot, my kids are too cute.”

“Yes,” Jurot said, watching as Konarot hugged her father’s head again.

“Konarot, why don’t you sit down instead?” Adam asked.

Konarot tried to climb up Adam’s shoulders, causing him to lose more Health, before she was settled on his shoulders.

Health: 63 -> 62

Health: 62 -> 61

Health: 61 -> 60

“Jurot, please pick Konarot up,” Adam said, feeling the pain in his shoulders.

Konarot hissed at Jurot as the Iyrman picked him up, before she bit his hand.

“Konarot, stop,” Adam said, raising his voice slightly. “You cannot bite uncle Jurot.”

Konarot let go of Jurot’s hand, but squirmed against his grasp.

“Sorry, Jurot.” Adam sighed. “Konarot, you cannot bite people’s hands.”

Konarot stopped squirming, falling still. She pouted angrily, staring down at the floor, all the while dangling in the air as Jurot held her.

“She will grow up well,” Jurot said. ‘Will my children grow well too?’ The Iyrman’s eyes fell to his brother, who was squirming out of the children’s grasp, before the Half Elf picked his daughter up.

Adam stared at the girl’s face. “Just because you are cute does not mean you can bite everyone.” He kissed her cheek and brushed her hair. “However, if some stranger tries to pick you up, make sure you bite them harder. Uncle Jurot is no stranger, though.”

Konarot lay against her father’s torso, her tail twitching from side to side.

“Will I gain dad strength when I have children?” Jurot asked.

Adam raised his brows for a moment before a smirk fell across his face. “Of course.”

Jurot remained silent, crossing his arms. “Is there uncle strength?”

“I’m not sure, but… I’m sure if there was a time when Konarot was in danger, you’d probably grow stronger to try and save her.”

“Would you not save her?”

“If Konarot is ever in danger, doesn’t that mean I won’t be available?” Adam asked.

“If she is in danger, then I will be unavailable,” Jurot retorted.

“That’s true…” Adam said, rubbing his chin. “Then, we’ll have to leave that to you then, Sir Vonda.”

“Excuse me?” Vonda asked, patting baby Jarot’s back after feeding him.

“Well, if Jurot and I are indisposed, then you’ll have to save my little Konarot, right?” Adam chuckled.

“If there is something which can deal with you and Jurot, then what use will I be?” Vonda asked.

“You’re pretty strong, aren’t you?”

“I do not want to hear that from you, Adam.” Vonda sighed. “If Konarot is in danger, then won’t it be the Rot family who will save her?”

“I suppose there is Jarot and my Aunts,” Adam whispered. “Right. I’m sure if someone messes with my little babbies, it’ll be their babo who will go save them.”

Vonda threw a look towards the other Iyrmen around, especially the Rot family, who were listening in on Adam’s words. “I’m sure they will help your children.”

“Right. Jarot and my Aunts would go save them,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Then, if they’re not available, that probably falls to Kitool and Jaygak, right?”

Jurot thought about it for a moment. “They would help in the same way as grandfather and mother.”

“Then after them, it would be Sir Vonda and the others?”

“Yes,” Jurot agreed.

“Unless you don’t want to, Sir Vonda,” Adam said, laughing with his eyebrows towards her.

Baby Jarot threw up on her back, and she realised he had forgotten to place a bib in front of him.

She sighed.