“Do you wish to grow stronger?”

“Yes.”

“Then you must pack up you items today. You will spend the entirety of the Twilight Month away, and the first week of Dawnval.”

“That’s a bit sudden,” Adam said.

“No,” Elder Zijin replied. “We have thought on the matter for a long while.”

“Since last year?”

“Since it was appropriate,” Elder Zijin said, glancing towards the black book. “There was much to think about.”

“Makes sense,” Adam replied, his eyes glancing towards the black book, wondering what it was. Yet, his thoughts fell elsewhere, biting his lower lip as he chewed on his thoughts. “The first week?”

“Yes.”

Adam remained silent for a moment, thinking over what the Elder had said. The first week was home to a large number of birthdays. Adam’s. Jurot’s. Vonda’s. Adam frowned. ‘The triplets’ too.’

“It is your choice to make.”

“Please make sure my gifts get to them, Elder.”

“Of course.”

“This, uh… training. What’s the chance of dying?”

“You may die.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “I’ll get stronger?”

“I am certain of it.”

Adam continued to slowly nod his head. “Can I write some letters for the kids?”

“Letters?”

“Yeah. Just in case.”

“I must read them.”

“That’s okay. They’ll only be cringe.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you.”

“Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool will go with you,” Zijin stated. “Take what you can, for it is dangerous.”

“Dangerous for even the likes of Jurot?”

“Yes.”

Adam slowly nodded his head again. “Okay.”

Once he was done with his letters, taking quite a long while since there were so many to write, having chosen to write some for his companions too, and his family, Adam returned back to the estate. He caught Jurot’s gaze, the young Iyrman already sitting while in his furs, with his pack at his feet.

The Iyrman nodded towards his brother, who nodded back, before going to grab his own gear. He donned his puthral armour, his magical axe, and all which he typically took during his adventures. He remained within the house for a short while, his eyes twitching slightly. He reached down to his holy symbol, feeling how cool it was to the touch. He brought it up and kissed it, before letting it hang once more, before he stepped out, adorned in all his equipment.

Konarot yawned, before noting her father. She tilted her head before quickly leaping to her feet, pouting up towards her father. Adam smiled, fighting off the sadness, the chill which was beginning to fill him. He dropped down before his children and embraced them, starting with Konarot first, gently rocking side to side as he held her.

“Daddy has to go.”

Konarot frowned, but she embraced him. Adam regretted putting on his armour before embracing his children, but he peppered them with kisses and ruffled their hair as much as he could. Kirot and Karot hugged him tight, almost locking him into place.

“No,” Jirot stated, frowning up towards her father. “No.”

“I must go.” Adam lifted the girl up, kissing her neck, before rubbing his cheek against hers. “You must bully your babo a lot while I am gone.”

Jirot huffed quietly, before smirking slightly. She cackled lightly. Jarot also pouted, but hugged his father, exchanging kisses with him.

“Going?” Lanarot asked, also hugging her brother.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” The girl held her brother’s head, cheek against cheek. “Papa. Love you.”

“I love you too.” Adam almost melted into the snow, quickly donning his helmet, so that his tears could fall in peace. He turned to the rest of the babies, each of whom were napping. He wanted to embrace them too, but left them to sleep.

“You have to spoil them a lot,” Adam said to the teens and the older children, clearing his throat. He sniffled. “They’ll look up to while we’re gone.”

“Okay,” Taygak stated, giving Adam a thumbs up.

“If it’s you, I’m sure it’ll be okay.” Adam hugged all of the children one by one. “Raygak, you can’t bully your sisters while I’m gone.”

“I will not!”

“Saygak, you have to make sure Raygak doesn’t bully his sisters, or yours,” Adam said, ruffling the boy’s hair.

“Okay.” Saygak flushed slightly.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Turot, you better study hard.”

“I will.”

“Asorot?”

“Yes.”

“Make sure you bully your grandfather appropriately with Jirot, okay?”

“Okay,” Asorot replied, his lips smirking slightly.

Adam glanced towards the twins. “Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten.” He nodded towards them, and they returned the nod.

“Katool.”

“Yes?”

“You cannot steal Jitool from me.”

Katool widened her stance, as if to make to fight, and pointed up at him. “I can.”

“You cannot.”

Katool huffed and looked towards her mother, before narrowing her eyes at Adam. She then marched her way to her sister and lay beside the girl, pulling a blanket over herself as she lay beside Jitool.

Adam smiled. “Lanababy.”

“Papa.”

“You smelly girl, why are you so thin now? You must eat more bread.”

“Not smelly,” she replied, laughing before she embraced her brother again. “Bwead.”

Adam smiled, before handing the girl to Jurot, who embraced her tight. “You five, hug your uncle too, he’s going too!”

With some coaxing, the five children embraced their uncle, before they hugged their father once more. Adam kissed each of their heads once more, after making sure his eyes were dry. He eyed up his companions, each adorned in their best gear, and each carrying gifted weapons at their side.

“Did you say goodbye?” Adam asked, staring at Jaygak.

“I did.”

Adam eyed up Stormdrake. “One sec.”

“What is that?” Jaygak asked, eyeing up the weapon made of darker steel.

“A magical sword. Greater Enhanced.”

Jaygak narrowed her eyes. “Yes?”

“Take it.”

“I have a sword already.”

“Jaygak,” Adam said, glancing past her to see Raygak. He motioned with his head, and stepped to one side with his companion. “Elder Zijin mentioned it was going to be dangerous.”

Jaygak was surprised he was speaking in the Iyrmen’s tongue, he hadn’t done so in so long.

“My kids might not remember me, but you? Jaygak, you’re lucky. You can take this moment and form a memory. A memory which will be seared into Raygak’s mind. A memory he will never forget.” Adam held out the sword.

Jaygak slowly bowed her head and understood what Adam meant. This wasn’t about Raygak remembering something nice she had done. It was a memory which should be formed, just in case. “Thank you, Adam.”

“Any time.”

Jaygak took the blade from his hand, feeling its great magic, and she gripped it tight. She returned back to the group, staring down at the three Gaks. She blinked rapidly for a moment, recalling the conversation she had with the Elder. ‘It seems I can’t retire just yet.’

“Raygak,” Jaygak called, though she was unsure if she should call him. It would be better to give the blade to Taygak, who was definitely the daughter of Kaygak, one of the Gaks who would form the backbone of the family in a decade or two.

Raygak walked over to her, staring into her eyes. Jaygak dropped to a knee, and she unlatched Stormdrake from her sword belt, before offering the blade to her brother. Raygak stared at it in shock for a moment, before looking back up at her.

“Take good care of this sword, Raygak.” Jaygak swallowed, feeling her jaw muscles strain, her throat also clogging.

“Okay,” the boy replied, his lips forming a wide smile as his body filled with excitement.

Jaygak’s lips twitched into a smile, and she pulled him in close. She looked up at Taygak. “You must watch over them well, Taygak.”

“Yes,” the girl replied.

Jaygak held onto her brother for a long while, before she planted a firm kiss on his cheek. “You must grow big and strong, Raygak. You must find out what Stormdrake does.”

“I will,” the boy replied, his cheeks puffed up with pride.

Jaygak smiled and pulled away from him, reaching over to brush his hair, as well as the other Gak children’s hair. Kitool glanced towards her sister, who was still laying down beside her baby sister, but was looking at Kitool.

Kitool bowed her head. Katool quickly scrambled away from her baby sister and rushed up to her elder sister. She sniffled, her face contorting to cry, but Kitool picked her up and held her close.

“Okay?” Kitool asked, tickling the back of her head as her little bob cut hair wiggled against her hand.

“Okay,” the little Katool replied, sniffling into her sister’s chest.

Then, with a wave, the four left the shared estate, finding a group of Iyrmen waiting for them. They were escorted away by the six Iyrmen, each adorned in dark clothes, and each unarmed. Adam decided not to pay too much attention to them.

“I don’t think he understood,” Jaygak said. “He was focused on the sword. I don’t think he understood that may be the last time we see each other.”

“Good,” Adam replied. “His last thoughts of you will be happy.”

Jaygak felt the sting in her eyes. When she had heard they were leaving that day, she had gotten ready without much thought. However, to see Adam so serious, and to think that this may be the last time she would see her family…

“What does the blade do?” Jaygak asked.

“You’ll find that out once we fight.”

“I don’t want to fight you.”

“I definitely don’t want to fight you when that’s in your hands, Jaygak,” Adam stated.

“…”

“It’s called Great Moon.”

“That’s a nice name.”

“It is,” Adam replied.

“Why did you name it that?”

“If the Rot family is my sun, then the Gak family is my moon.”

“That’s romantic,” Jaygak replied, trying to smile, but she couldn’t force it. “What about the Ool family?”

“They’re a star,” Adam said.

“Then why are we a moon?”

Adam wondered how he should word it, in a way not to bring up old wounds, or to make the other families feel bad. He thought back to the first Family Elder which had accepted his children wholly. “They say the Iyr never forgets. Well, I won’t forget what your grandmother did for me either.”

Jaygak swallowed, not liking how serious Adam had become. For once, even she was speechless, unable to think of a response to such a statement. She hoped that it didn’t effect Adam too deeply, especially since the Rot family had adopted the Goblins wholeheartedly.

“You need to meditate with the weapon to use it properly,” Adam warned.

“Okay,” Jaygak replied. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”

The four approached a cart to one side, where a sack, a set of shackles, and a pill waited for them. Adam eyed up the sack and the shackles, glancing towards one of the Iyrmen.

“You must swallow the pill, and we will blindfold you and shackle you.”

“Alright,” Adam replied, placing his pack on the cart, and without hesitation, he reached for the pill and swallowed it.

Constitution Save

D20 + 6 = 14 (8)

Failure!

Adam’s body naturally fought against the pill, but a warmth overcame Adam, and he jolted awake. The light from the stars and edge of the moon greeted him as he awoke. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, before glancing to his side where he saw Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool, as well as a lake beyond them. Jurot and Jaygak both awakened upon sensing Adam startling awake beside them.

“What the hell was that?” Adam asked, rolling his shoulders.

“You fell asleep,” Jurot said.

“I took a pill and…”

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

“That’s one hell of a pill,” Adam whispered, cracking his neck from side to side.

“We must enter the lake soon,” Jurot said.

“Yeah?” Adam glanced towards it, hoisting up his pack. He did his best not to take in too many details around him, vaguely aware they were in some kind of cave. “So, do we go one by one?”

As he asked the question, the lake began to gently glow, the gentle moonlight falling across its surface. The others stood, and Jurot reached for his hand. “We should hold hands and enter together.”

“How cute.” Adam held his brother’s hand, and took the other hand offered to him, Jaygak nodding her head at him. Once they formed a chain, they approached the water, and began to step into it. They slowly submerged into the cool water, which grew warmer as they stepped deeper into it, before the light grew too bright, and they were forced to shut their eyes, the water engulfing them whole.

Meanwhile, Elder Zijin bit into his dried fruit, chewing it slowly. He stared down at the black book. “Did I make the right choice?”

“I believe you did,” Sonarot replied, sipping the hot milk which the Elder had offered her. She knew of the existence of the various books of the Elders, and she could assume what a black book meant.

“Adam is…”

“Adam,” Sonarot confirmed.

“If Adam dies, what will you do with the children?” Elder Zijin asked.

Without skipping a beat, Sonarot replied, her eyes sternly glaring at the Elder. “They are my grandchildren.”