Marmak poured grain wine into Jarot’s cup, who sipped it lightly. The old Iyrman sipped away at his own grain wine too, letting out a soft sigh.

“Did you see?” Jarot asked.

Marmak replied with a questioning grunt.

“Did you see how my greatdaughter causes trouble?” His lips formed a small smirk, his eyes full of pride.

“She is your greatdaughter.”

“Yes!” Jarot cackled with laughter, finishing his grain wine before pouring them each another cup. “She will grow up well, and the mess she will cause, it will be written within our books.”

“If she causes half the trouble you have, it will be too much.”

“These new generations are too orderly. In our generation, how much chaos did we create? What of the generations before us?” Jarot thought of a particular Iyrman who had beaten him so viciously even after he had made a name for himself, his eyes falling towards Sonarot.

“There is still time. Two ancient empires of old have broken. The Aldish have laid claim to newly found islands, which provide great resources. Ancient evils still lay dormant, and may awaken soon. The Iyr closed its gates.”

The pair fell silent as the words left Marmak’s lips.

“The winds of our time had long grown stale, but the winds now…” Jarot leaned back and inhaled the air. “The winds are fresh.”

“You can feel it too?”

“I am no longer young. These old bones of mine, they can feel the change within the wind.”

“The children will grow up with these winds.”

“Great winds threaten to uproot trees, but which winds can uproot sprouts of we Iyrmen?”

Marmak remained silent, his eyes slowly falling towards the young half elf and his children. The thoughts remained within his mind. The children did not look like any other children within the Rot family. However, they did wear the Rot family clothing, as if they were truly members of the family.

“Why are you two sighing so much?” Gangak asked, bringing a gourd with her, placing it before the pair.

“We were reminiscing.”

“Why reminisce of your youth?”

“We have such to reminisce about,” Marmak retorted.

“You should have worked harder to be forced away from the land,” Gangak replied playfully, pouring him the fruit wine she had brought.

Marmak’s lips twitched. “Your words are as fiery as ever, Flame Brand.”

“I will not step back even for you, Butcher.”

Marmak sipped his wine slowly. “You are close with the twins?”

“They adore me so much.”

Jarot snorted slightly. “I am still their favourite.”

“You are their favourite babo, but I am their favourite nano.”

Jarot decided against retorting, relenting to the woman who had done so much for the children. “I will not give them to you.”

“Should I take them?”

“Can you take them from me?”

Gangak and Jarot both glared between one another, before they returned to sipping their wine slowly.

“The Iyr placed you here?” Gangak asked.

“They did.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Gangak glanced towards the Aswadians. She noted Sara’s eyes upon the group of them. The young woman’s eyes took in the sight of the three figures.

‘Mad Dog. Flame Brand. Butcher…’

Sara was used to knowing legendary figures. She had grown up within the Order of the Black Mountain, which possessed some of the greatest warriors across all the land. The Six Blades and Eighteen Sheaths were each great warriors, like the Seven Rays and Forty Nine Hopes. Each of the Blades were like the Hopes, save for the fact that the weakest of the Blades could no doubt defeat Sir Thomas. To become a Blade, one must be considered a Grandmaster, and to be considered a Sheath, one must be a Master, unlike in the Order of Life’s Rose.

However…

The tales of Mad Dog were well known to the Aldishmen, and though they had passed through to Aswadasad, there were few within the land who were experts with his story. When one mentioned Jarot, it was always the ancient hero who had liberated the Devilkin from the Blue Dragons. Flame Brand’s tales weren’t widespread, though the orders spoke of her tale since they were instrumental to forcing her out, and thus the knowledge had passed down to her.

Butcher Marmak.

Sara felt Marmak’s gaze upon her and almost immediately she turned away, feeling her entire body fill with a chill. Her eyes darted against her Aswadian companions. ‘They have not yet recognised him…’

“Your grandson is not yet married?” Marmak asked.

“Not yet,” Jarot replied, his eyes meeting Marmak’s.

“My granddaughter, Karmak, is unmarried.”

“Karmak…” Jarot replied, narrowing his eyes at the name. ‘Would she be suitable.’ Though he recalled little of the young woman, there was some consideration to be had since she had been named after the previous Chief.

“Will he marry into the Mak family?”

“He is a Rot.”

“Would Karrot be the mother of Karot?”

“Who else would be his mother?” Jarot’s voice was playful, but his eyes seemed almost threatening.

Marmak smiled in return, sipping his fruit wine. “I will inform my granddaughter.”

“You should speak with my grandson.”

“It is not Adam who you will need to convince, but my Jirot,” Gangak said.

“Your Jirot?” Jarot replied.

Gangak ignored the Iyrman’s glare. “Your granddaughter will not be able to marry unless Jirot is convinced.”

Jarot’s lips twitched. “It is how it should be!”

Rick ate his food silently, dipping his bread into the meaty stew, tasting the flavours of the gentle spice along his tongue. His thoughts remained focused on what he had learnt that day. ‘Goblins?’ He was fairly certain the twins weren’t horcs, since they had no tusks. ‘Half dragons and goblins… and a demon…’

“Did you know?” Jeremy asked the large form of Nobby.

“Yes.”

“…”

“…”

Remy pat the boy’s back. “Why didn’t you mention it to us?”

“I had to?”

“No, you didn’t, but…”

“It would have been nice to know.”

“I am the number one enforcer,” Nobby replied.

“Right…” Jeremy slowly nodded his head and returned back to his food. “Suppose we shouldn’t know what we shouldn’t know.”

“Aye,” Remy added, slowly sipping his water. ‘He’s right.’

Nobby returned to his thoughts after a short while, nibbling away at his food. ‘Number one.’

Fred glanced around towards the rest of the figures. He sipped his water slowly, before his attention fell onto George, who kept glancing towards Adam and his children.

“Shouldn’t stare so much, your eyes’ll fall out.”

George replied with an incredulous glance, before his eyes flashed with worry. ‘Ain’t nothin’ like that happenin’ to me…’

“What are you looking at anyhow?”

George raised his brows in response.

“It’s too early to be surprised by Adam.”

George glanced towards the half elf once more, who wiped his daughter’s face clean, the tiny goblin girl cackling at her father, before rushing away towards the older devilkin Iyrman. He had yet to see Adam adore the goblins as much as his half dragon children.

‘Can I be a Team Leader too?’ Brittany thought. Her eyes fell to the bow at her side. She reached out to brush along the smooth wood with her pinky finger. ‘I’ll need to be stronger.’

Jonn remained silent as he sat in the corner, eating his meal silently. ‘Am I a Team Leader?’ He still wasn’t sure if he was connected to the business, or if he was specifically Adam’s servant. ‘Servant?’

“We plan on returning to Aswadasad soon,” Korin admitted.

“Who?” Adam asked, almost smirking knowingly.

“Lady Sara, myself, and Amira…”

“Amira too?”

Korin’s lips twitched slightly. “Perhaps.”

“What a shame…”

“We intend to stay until the end of this year at least, but next year we should return. Until we return, we are able to assist you with your business for free.”

“Free? Who do you think I am? I’ll pay you properly, though the pay might not be that great. Still, you had a share of all the loot when we were travelling, I’m sure that was a pretty decent pay. Maybe not, considering how rich you all are.”

“Much of our coin will return to the order, where it will be better used, but the coin we earned whilst with you wasn’t terrible.”

“I suppose money isn’t the most important thing in the world once you have all the basics?”

Korin bowed his head.

“Just let me know a month before you leave so I can prepare your compensation, and any other gifts we can spare for you.”

“Do you need to hand us gifts?”

“Aren’t we friends?’

Korin flashed a smile. “As you say.”

“I hope Amira ends up staying.”

“It is my hope too.”

“…”

“…”

The pair smiled between one another before a shadow loomed over Adam. Adam glanced back towards Marmak, whose eyes remained focused upon Adam.

“Yes?” Adam asked.

“You are the Nephew of the Rot family?”

“Yes…”

“I am Marmak,” the Iyrman replied, noting how the Aswadian beside the half elf tensed up, his eyes shooting up towards the older Iyrman.

‘Marmak?’ Korin thought.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I have heard of your tales. I have come to speak with you of a matter.”

“What matter is that?”

Marmak remained silent for a moment. “Let us fight.”

Korin’s eyes widened further.