Adam was glad that Elder Zijin had lent him some swords and more gems for his enchanting. He had begun to run out of gems, but the Elder lent him seven for each enchantment, which would be repaid when the swords would be auctioned off in the near future.

Adam continued to pluck a Thread of Fate whenever he felt the roll was too poor, bringing great fortune, and misfortune, to denizens across the world. Could one blame him? He rolled so well that he offered to enchant the first layer of a Greater Enhanced enchantment of their choosing, one which they could complete over time, as they had done the year previous with many of his enchants.

He had no idea that his Omen had changed the course of Aswadasad’s history.

Omen: 2, 15

Adam held his twins within his arms, kissing their foreheads constantly. The tiny babes squirmed against him, but cooed and squealed excitedly under his intense affection. “Dada has to go out and work now, my little babbies. I’ve got so many enchanted weapons to sell off, and I’ll be sure to bring you back lots of gifts.”

“Dadada,” Jirot replied, reaching to grab his face. Jarot called out for him too, squirming shyly under his father’s adoration.

“I know, I know. How can dada leave when you’re finally able to speak for him, but…” Adam continued to hug them tight, kissing them all over. Once he was done with the twins, he trapped his triplets, not allowing them to escape until he was done spoiling them with his love.

He could feel how light they still were, and how warm their tiny bodies were. He stroked their hair gently, cuddling them as much as he could, before he finally let them go. He threw a look to Sonarot, before the pair stepped aside.

Adam began to don his armour, slipping on his thick clothing, before slipping on the chain shirt, finally working on strapping his puthral plate against himself. “It pains me to leave,” he admitted.

Sonarot smiled. “You did not enchant yesterday to spoil them.” She had seen his face in the morning, knowing that he had the greatest of luck. Yet he spent the entirety of the day with the children, and not just his own children, but the others too.

“If anything happens to me…” Adam began, clearing his throat.

“They are my grandchildren,” Sonarot reassured.

Adam smiled. Once he was within his puthral plate mail, the purple armour gleaming under the sun, he noted how his twins stared at him with shock and glee. However, he made his way to the other children, though Taygak was missing. “I expect you all to behave for your mummies and daddies.”

“Yes,” the children replied.

“Raygak, if I hear you are bullying your cousins, I will be disappointed,” Adam said.

“I do not bully them,” Raygak retorted, huffing.

“Saygak, if he bullies anyone, you have to tell me when I return.”

“Okay,” the boy replied, smiling shyly.

“Turot, since you are my Cousin, I know you will be well.”

The boy smiled, crossing his arms.

“Katool…” Adam looked down at the girl, whose hair had grown to her back. “Your sister…”

“Is so cute!” the girl finished, throwing up her arms in exasperation, still unable to believe it.

Adam looked to the twins, nodding his head towards them, which they returned. Once he was done with them, he went to the troublemakers. The seven babies were all in various states of alertness. Upon seeing Adam, all but Inakan, suddenly jolted to stare at the huge man in purple.

“Now you all look here,” Adam began, wagging his finger at them. “If I hear you are being mean to your mummies and daddies, I’ll make sure they don’t complain. But, if you grow up too quickly, I won’t be happy about it, do you understand?”

The babies blinked at him, furrowing their brows, deep in thought about his deal. Adam dropped to a knee and brushed their hair gently, one by one. He started with Inakan, the girl suddenly jerking her head when his hand appeared in front of her. He ended with Gurot, the biggest, and chubbiest of all the babies.

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“Jurot,” Adam called.

Jurot was adorned in heavy furs, as he always was whenever he left the Iyr, and carried Phantom at his side. He approached, glancing at Adam, who gave the Iyrman a look. He lifted Gurot up, the boy squirming and groaning, before he eventually melted against his elder cousin’s hug.

“Show off,” Adam whispered.

Once Jurot had hugged his cousin, Adam took the Iyrman to meet with Lanarot, who was with her mother, babbling away quietly. Upon seeing her brothers, she exclaimed for them, noting they were in their fighting outfits.

Adam picked her up first, planting a firm kiss on her forehead. “There’s no fighting today, Lanababy.”

“No?” The girl pouted, as if making to cry.

“Silly girl, how can you do this to me?” Adam kissed her forehead again, before offering her to Jurot.

“Papa?” Lanarot asked, as though trying to change Jurot’s mind.

“We are to leave,” Jurot said.

“Go?” Lanarot asked.

“Yes.”

“Nana?”

“No. We are to leave the Iyr.”

Lanarot tilted her head confused, before looking to her mother for support. She then began to babble, stating one thing or another.

“Are you done yet?” Jaygak asked, resting her arm against Stormdrake.

Adam almost replied with a joke, but he stopped himself. “Just a little more.” He ruffled Lanarot’s hair, before dropping down to his twins again, letting them grab at his armour, which they stared at as though it were the mashed fruit their nana would feed them. “You can’t grow up too quickly before I return, okay?”

The pair cackled and slapped his armour, shocked by how hard it was, before they continued to grab at it.

“Konarot,” Adam called, holding her head. “Make sure you look after your siblings, okay? If that old geezer returns before me, then it’s up to you to make sure he doesn’t corrupt them.”

Konarot purred quietly, pouting up at her father. She knew he was leaving, but she didn’t want him to leave. Her tail swayed sadly at the thought, but she nuzzled against her father’s palm.

“You two need to be good for your sister, okay?” Adam asked, looking down at the twins, who were sucking against his armour. Adam quickly pulled them away, before turning to Kirot and Karot. “You two need to be good for your kaka too.” The pair pouted, their tails swaying sadly behind them.

Adam smiled sadly, before he said his final goodbyes. He threw a glance to Nirot, who also said her goodbyes to her younger brother and her cousin, before they all prepared themselves to leave.

The older children followed Adam and the others as they began to make their way out. They made their way to the front gates of the Big Iyr, where his other companions stood, as well as the large walls which gave the Iyr a sense of ease. They were at least six times as tall as him, though the gate was slightly smaller. A small room sat atop the gates, where another Iyrman sat.

The nearby Iyrmen noted the children following the large group, realising it was a group that was leaving, and they swiftly made their way to the gates. Though they could have used the rope system, it was an Iyrman’s pleasure to push open the gates, which required at least a few of them to open comfortably.

“You all need to be good for your mummies and daddies,” Adam said, clearing his throat. It felt different this time.

“Okay,” the children replied.

“We’ll bring back lots of gifts,” Adam assured, forcing a smile.

An older Devikin child rushed up towards the front gates, where she could see the familiar forms. She huffed quietly, wiping her brow. “Cousin Jaygak!” Taygak called, before rushing over to the Devilkin to embrace her.

“Taygak, did you escape your class?” Jaygak asked.

“No,” the girl said, embracing her cousin in chain mail.

“Right, you’d never do that,” Jaygak brushed the girl’s hair.

Taygak hugged the rest of her Cousins, including Uwajin, before shaking the forearms of Adam’s companions.

“I know you’ll be good, Taygak,” Adam said, patting her head.

“Yes,” the girl replied, firmly.

Once the giant group was ready, they made their way out of the giant gates. More children had come to watch them go, and they shouted after the leaving figures.

“Come home safely!” the children cried after the figures.

The words were so familiar to Adam, but they caused him to frown within his helmet. He glanced at his companions. Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool. Then there were the others he had picked up during his adventures, as well as the group of Iyrmen teens.

It was the first time he had left the Iyr after having children. The last time he had left, he, and the rest of the companions around him, had almost died. Adam’s eyes turned to Lucy, who had actually died last time. He noted how close Mara, her maid, walked beside the Demon Lord.

Adam stopped, hearing the echoes of the distant voices. The rest of his companions stopped. He remained silent, inhaling deeply.

“Adam?” Vonda asked.

“I just need a second,” Adam said, placing a hand on his chest.

Trick: Guidance

D3 = 2 (2)

Perception Check

D20 + 3 + 2 = 11 (6)

The Half Elf muttered a prayer, and did his best to make out the voices he could hear, but he was unable to. He stared down at his hand, recalling the feeling of the twins’ thin hair, and the small horns atop his triplets’ head.

‘Do it.’

Level up!

XP: 19 600 -> 9 600

Health: 65 -> 78

Gained Slasher!

Strength: 19 -> 20

Mara tensed, crossing her hands in front of her navel. Her eyes remained firmly placed on Adam.

Adam clenched his fist tight. “Jurot?”

“Yes?”

“I’m strong.”

“Yes.”

Adam reached down to his axe, feeling the cool metal. It was still virgin, not yet bloodied from battle. With it, could he have faced Shama? He was snapped out of his thoughts by the questioning looks of his companions. They knew he was queer, but he was even more queer now.

“Let’s go.”