“Leaving?” Adam asked, blinking towards Jurot.

“It is time for Lanarot to visit Red Oak,” Jurot said, while his mother prepared their sister to be taken away. Sky sat down behind Jurot, ready to follow the Iyrman with utmost loyalty.

“What? It’s her first time going, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I should go too.”

“You may come.”

“How long is it going to be?”

“A few weeks at most.”

‘I can’t just go though… I’ve got so much to do here, and I… but my little sister is going, isn’t she? I should go too? I want to be there for her first time out of the Iyr!’ “How long have you been planning this?”

“It was decided yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” Adam furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. His eyes met Jurot’s, his own full of suspicion. “I know the Iyrmen are efficient, but considering how much you still plan…”

“There are matters to be settled within Red Oak.”

“Oh yeah?” ‘If he can’t talk about them, it must be really dangerous.’ Adam huffed. “I can’t believe you’re taking Lanarot out for the first time without me.”

“You may come.”

“How can I come when I’m so busy in here?”

“You may bring your children.”

“…” Adam threw a look back towards his children. Alex sat opposite Jirot, having taken the initiative to sit opposite his boss’ daughter. “I can’t do that, not when the others are adoring them as much as they should be adored.”

Jurot pat Adam’s shoulder. “We will take Lanarot out once more.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Adam and Jurot shook hands while crossing their wrists together. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

“I will try.”

“Lanababy, you are abandoning me this soon?” Adam asked, his hands upon his waist as he playfully glared at his younger sister, who was like a burrito about to burst within her thick Iyr clothes.

“I am going Red Oak,” Lanarot said, pointing out of the fort.

“Are you excited?”

“Yes!” The girl’s eyes beamed so brightly, her entire face full of delight as though she was within a pool of bread.

Adam’s heart twitched, before the half elf swept his sister into his arms. “How can you do this to me? You smelly girl!” Adam peppered her with kisses. “You have to bring back gifts since you are leaving, okay?”

“Okay!” Lanarot kissed her brother’s cheek, before he rapid fired more kisses against her face, refusing to let her go until he had finally engraved his love within her heart.

“Lanarot, come,” Fakrot called, leading the girl to the carriage, while Sky followed along by Jurot’s command.

Adam glanced aside towards Marmak, who settled himself to drive the carriage. ‘What a stacked carriage drive.’ Adam glanced aside and noticed another Iyrman he vaguely recognised, who sat within the tiny carriage at the back of the carriage.

‘Aunt, Uncle, or I guess he’s my uncle with a lower case? Then Jurot, the Butcher, and… what was his name? Bloodblade?’

History Check (Intelligence)(Advantage)

D20 + 3 = 5 (2)

D20 + 3 = 6 (3)

‘Bloodblade. Bloodblade.’ Adam glanced towards one of two older Iyrman who had appeared out of the blue that morning with the carriages. One of the two women wore a sword of sheer crimson, while the other wore a giant red glave. ‘So who the hell is she? Why do so many people have red weapons, seriously…’

However, Adam’s boyish heart could at least admit the weapons looked cool.

John stared at the horcish Iyrman, or as the Iyrmen liked to say, Iyrman. He squinted his eyes, certain he recognised the woman. The Iyrman’s eyes fell towards John, who glanced away.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Are you John?” the Iyrman called.

“That’s right,” John said, bowing his head lightly, his heart shuddering. ‘How does an Iyrman know my name?’

“You are so old now.”

“I am?” John replied, unsure of what the woman was talking about. She was at least twice his age, perhaps three times as older.

“I am Crimson Sweep, Vezar.”

‘Why do I know that name?’ “Ah!” John gasped, sitting up taller. “Mother’s blessings to you, miss Vezar. I didn’t mean to be so rude.”

“You were not rude,” Vezar replied, smiling warmly towards the farmer. “I see you have your own children now.”

“I have,” John said. “Thank you kindly for what you did all those years ago.”

“It is our way,” Vezar replied, stopping herself from reaching out to brush his hair. “You have grown well. I have heard your presence within the tales, but I have not heard them from your lips. Will you speak of them to me?”

“My tales? I don’t have any tales.”

“Did you not fight in the beast waves?”

“I did, but… I didn’t do much at all.”

“I have heard different.”

John felt the tingles within his skin, his heart pounding wildly. “It’s my honour to tell you the tales, miss Vezar.”

“I am Vezar, not miss Vezar,” the woman replied.

Her twin sister let out a soft breath as her eyes fell to Adam, who had taken his children to say their greetings to their aunt, before they watched as the carriage left. Vizar’s eyes remained glued to the half elf for a long moment. ‘He almost defeated the First Hope?’

Adam eventually allowed his children to return back to their food, while he glanced over towards the woman who had been gazing at him, the one with the red sword. “Hello.”

“Hello, Adam.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I am Vizar, Redblade.”

“Ah,” Adam said, bowing his head, before furrowing his brows. “Isn’t there an Aldishman named Redblade too?”

“Yes. I gained a similar title in Aswadasad. It translates the same.”

“Arusafra?” Dunes asked, his brows raised in alarm.

“I am.”

“What does that mean?”

“Redblade.”

“Oh, right.”

“Hiya Arusafra?” Korin asked in the Aswadian tongue.

“Na’am anaz,” Vizar replied, causing Korin to sit up straighter.

“It’s an honour to meet you, Arusafra. I am Korin.”

“Who trained you?”

“Kal Hussun. You slew his mentor, Kal Ahmed, Arurahud, and his twin brother, Kal Sayid, Arubarruk.”

Vizar bowed her head, recalling the pair she had faced so many years ago. “They were good fights.”

‘So scary,’ Korin thought, bowing his head in return. Though perhaps there could have been some bad blood between them, Korin understood an ant could not have bad blood against an elephant.

Adam glanced between Korin and Vezar. The way Korin looked at her was the same way he looked at Marmak.

Once breakfast was done, Adam followed Korin away to wash the dishes. “So what’s the story between Vizar and your mentor’s mentor?”

Korin let out the kind of sigh which meant he didn’t want to speak about it so openly. He glanced around, noting the children following Dunes. “Kal Ahmed and Kal Sayid, Red Thunder and Red Lightning, were both twins. They were two of our Six Blades.”

Adam whistled. “Damn. Vizar killed them?”

“Yes, Vizar killed them.” Korin inhaled deeply, his prideful heart aching. “But Arusafra, has better stories than killing two of our Six Blades.”

‘Holy.’ Adam glanced to the side. “What about the woman to her side?”

“Arusafra’s twin sister, Crimson Sweep. She was not very active in Aswadasad, but we called her Aruasha.”

“What does that mean?”

“Redstick, but it is also how we would say Redglave.”

Adam raised his brows. “What are they doing here?”

“You did not know?”

“No.”

“Then I do not wish to know.”

“Fair enough.” Adam thought of the pair who had left. ‘Bloodblade. Bloodblade. Who the hell is Bloodblade?’

Meanwhile, Bloodblade stared towards the fort lost to the horizon, his eyes sometimes glancing around for any threats. He thought of how many Iyrmen had come to the fortress which was on the Iyr’s land. Himself, Vezar, Vizar, and Marmak. ‘The Chief has moved us all…’ He leaned back within the carriage, which held his niece and her son and daughter. It made sense for himself and Marmak to come along together with a carriage which contained a precious child of the Iyr, for nothing was allowed to happen to her, and what better way of guaranteeing that then to send both Bloodblade and the Butcher?

‘Why Vizar and Vezar?’ Shasen stared out towards the horizon once more. He thought of his niece’s grandchildren, the six who each remained within the fort.

The carriage came to a stop within one of the villages, the Iyrmen greeting the Chief, before they were allowed to step aside, the villagers leaving a wide berth around them. They vaguely recognised some of the Iyrmen, more so recognising Jurot who had passed by several times in the past couple of years, but seeing a child of the Iyr within their village, the mood completely shifted.

“Baba,” Lanarot called, rushing up to Shasen, before stopping in front of him. She smiled and giggled.

“Yes, my Lanarot?” Shasen reached down to brush her hair.

“Mama say it is time for bread.”

“Yes, it must be so,” Shasen said, picking the girl up, carrying her to the others, joining them to eat the bread and stew Marmak cooked.

Jurot took Lanarot from his granduncle, before feeding her from his hands, while the girl offered her bread to him.

“Niece,” Shasen called, his voice barely above a whisper. “Dogek has refused them?”

“He has,” Sonarot replied, a gentle smile of a Family Head upon her lips.

“Should I speak with him?”

“…” Sonarot glanced down towards her stew for a long moment. “No.”

“Okay.” Shasen fell into thought. ‘The official policy is not to support the children…’ “Your grandchildren are cute.”

“They are.” Sonarot’s smile widened, the light sparkling within her eyes.

“Little Jirot is very loud.”

“She is.”

“You must bring them to the estate more often.”

“I will.” Sonarot smiled even wider.

‘Dogek, you fool.’ Shasen sighed, before returning back to the rest of his meal.

The Village Chief watched the group from afar, already feeling as though he was going too far by looking at them.

“Why not?” the boy, no older than eight, asked his grandfather.

“They are Iyrmen.”

The boy blinked. “But why?”

“Have you ever heard of the Order of the Crimson Blades?”

“No.”

“That’s right.” The Chief ruffled his grandson’s hair. “Let’s go drink some tea.”

“I don’t like tea.”

“I’ll find some fruit.”

“Okay.” The boy smirked to himself, managing to swindle himself some fruit.

‘I was going to feed you some fruit anyway.’

Meanwhile, Adam spent his days within the fort, not realising the mess his brother and his sister were about to cause.