The days began to pass by as the party fell into a rhythm. Most trained lightly in the morning while a handful remained on watch. The shifts lasted only an hour and everyone participated in at least one watch as the day passed.

Though they had been sent to deal with the outbreaks, much of the day was spent passing the time. Chats were had. Dice were rolled. Children were adored.

“How can he say something like that?” Adam asked. “Shouldn’t she stay small and cute forever?”

“She is an Iyrman,” Dunes replied, shrugging his shoulders. “I hope…”

“You hope?” Adam asked, catching the flush on Dunes’ cheeks.

“Nothing.”

“I’m sure.”

Adam made sure to speak with everyone daily, typically when they had finished their watches.

“Next time we head back to Red Oak, I’ll make sure you can spend even more time with your family,” Adam assured the large young man, patting his back. “Have you told them about Merl yet?”

“No…” Nobby flushed slightly.

“I’ll sort it out. If she doesn’t want to marry you, I’m sure there will be a few hundred Iyrmen who want to marry the likes of you.”

“Okay…”

Jaygak stared out onto the horizon, overlooking the distant plains. She stood adorned in her armour, her magical blade at her side.

“What are you doing out here?” Adam asked, stepping up beside her on the platform. “If you work too hard, everyone will feel awkward.”

“I’m not on watch, I’m just thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“I used to play with a ball. It was red, made of leather, stitched together by one of my grandaunts from the extended family. I used to kick it against the wall when I was little. I would need to take breaks often because of how weak I was as a child, but when I played with that ball, it was as though my body had forgotten I was weak.” As Jaygak spoke of her memory, she smiled.

“Mother and father, and all the aunts and uncles, heard me count to ten thousands of times. I eventually learnt to count to one hundred. I would kick the ball, chase after it, counting to one hundred.” Jaygak narrowed her eyes. “I don’t remember when I stopped playing with the ball.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. He remained beside the young Iyrman. “I had a stuffed ship that I called fluffy. I bought him at a school thing, they sold toys children brought in to fund our education. It’s a bit silly to say that, considering who was in power at the time. I was probably… I don’t know. Six? Seven? Eight? I don’t remember.”

“You were a young boy, but not a toddler?”

“Yeah, something like that. I used to sleep with him beside me, and then my brother was born. When he was still a baby, I gave fluffy to him. I used to settle fluffy right beside him whenever he slept. I’m not sure what happened to the ship. I also bought a ball from school, a small, plastic thing, that eventually was crushed and it had to be thrown out.”

“You were a father back then too?” Jaygak teased.

“No.” Adam smiled. “I, uh… I don’t know. It felt like a brotherly thing to do, but I didn’t really play with my brother or anything.”

“You didn’t?”

Adam shook his head.

“I thought you must have, since you always play with the children now, and with how much you tell us to play with our siblings…”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“It’s because I regret not playing with my brother more when I had the chance.” Adam stared out onto the horizon. “You’re busy now, Jaygak, but Raygak isn’t too busy. There will come a day when he’ll be busy too, and then you won’t have enough time to play with each other. Maybe, one day, you’ll come across a dragon, and being the hero you are, you keep it at bay to let your friends go on without you, making a name for yourself, dying a hero for future Gaks, and then?”

“My brother will be overjoyed I will have died so well,” Jaygak replied.

“I know you’re an Iyrman, Jaygak, but I won’t forgive you if you make your brother sad,” Adam replied.

“It is this way, Adam.”

“You might be an Iyrman, but you’re also my friend too, Jaygak.”

“That is beside the point.”

“It is the point.”

Jaygak smiled. “I have no intentions to die yet.”

“Good.”

The pair remained silent for a long moment. “Adam, I wish to place well in the next tournament. I would like to win, but I would like to place.”

A smile encroached on Adam’s face. “If you want to place, then you’ll place.”

“I’m glad you forced Kitool and I to join you.”

“When did I force you?” Adam replied. “Isn’t it Jurot who forced you?”

Jaygak began to chuckle, followed by Adam, the pair chuckling while on the wall. Fred remained standing nearby, the young man on watch, doing his best to not listen in.

‘Could I fight in a tournament too?’ the young Aldishman thought.

“Kavgak is such a big girl,” Jaygak said.

“That she is.”

“I’m certain she will bring great glory to the family.”

“How can she do something like that if she’ll stay small and cute forever?”

“If she’s bigger, she’ll be even chonkier.”

Adam inhaled deeply. “I’ll allow it, but only for my Kavgak.”

“She is my Kavgak.”

“How can she be your Kavgak when she adores me the most?”

“She doesn’t adore you more than she adores me.”

“That’s right, because she’s a good girl who adores her sister the most,” Adam replied, with far too much pride.

The pair chuckled once more, staring out to the fields, the sun rising high above them.

“Adam…”

“Yeah?”

“…” Jaygak remained silent for a long moment. “Will you…” Jaygak felt her throat clog up for a moment. “Grandaunt is strong, but she wasn’t able to lift the Gak family up much. Aunt Kaygak, too, wasn’t able to pull up the Gak family. We’re not quite as low as we were after the betrayal, but we haven’t reached the height we were at right before the betrayal, and it still seems so far away, beyond the horizon.”

“…”

“I’m sure I’ll be able to grow stronger beside you, but… among my generation, I don’t think it’ll be me.”

“I think you can do it.”

“I don’t have that will, Adam.” Jaygak remained standing tall beside the half elf. “When Taygak was younger, she said she’d only reach steel rank at the guild…” The young woman stared out into the field. “I know where she got that from. Taygak is naturally stronger than me, she may be one of the strongest Gaks in a long time, but she only aimed for steel because of me.”

“Taygak’s aiming for gold rank, I thought.”

“She is. You promised to help her reach gold, and she changed her mind. That’s something Taygak will do, because she can put her mind to it. She has that will, Adam. Raygak, he’ll surely do well, since he’s my little brother. Saygak, too, will be a blood mage, all because you corrupted him.” Jaygak smirked wide. “Laygak, too, has managed to place well in the first tournament he joined.”

Adam wasn’t sure what to say, not when she was smiling so much.

“Kavgak and Maygak, and Tavgak and Faygak, they won’t grow up hearing the words I used to say, so they can grow up stronger too. I… I always felt pride I wouldn’t be the weakest in my generation, that I wouldn’t bring shame to the Gak family name, but now…” Jaygak let out a long sigh as she looked up towards the sky, feeling the sun’s warmth against her skin.

“I couldn’t be happier thinking that I, Jaygak, daughter of Lavgak, will be the weakest of this generation. I’ll stop once I’m a little stronger, and then I’ll guide Taygak and the others.” Her eyes darted to Adam, her glare accusatory. “I’m sure you’ll corrupt them to become stronger.”

“They’ll stay small and cute forever, my adorable Cousins,” Adam replied.

“They’re your cousins, Adam.”

Adam fought away the smile.

“Taygak is the oldest of the children, so she’ll be getting her tattoos in a few years, and then, she’ll leave the Iyr’s walls, its protection.” Jaygak let out another sigh. “You sometimes look at the children with a peculiar gaze. A gaze of dread. I didn’t understand it before, but know that I do now, Adam.”

Adam let out a soft sigh too, staring out towards the plains. “…”

“I won’t stop them from growing old, or from dreaming, Adam. I can’t do that. I won’t. I can’t do much for them, but whatever few things I can do, I will. I’ll cheer them on. I’ll give up whatever weapons and armour I can. I’ll give up on the stories I could gather, all so they can grow the Gak family with their own. I also know that it isn’t my own doing.”

Adam remained silent, unable to speak a word.

“Thank you, Adam.”

“Yeah,” the young man replied, clearing his throat. “Any time.”

As Adam retreated, he heard Jaygak call after him. “Did you run out of tea?”

“I did.”

“I have some if you would like it.”

“I’m alright, but thank you.”

“I don’t need it.”

“…” Adam turned back to catch her smiling after him. “Thanks, Jaygak.”

Jaygak bowed her head, allowing him to leave in peace.