[1760] – Y07.260 – Nightval Will Come X

Although it was technically Adam’s break, he awoke that morning especially early, and trained, lightly that morning, or rather, he pushed himself lightly, regaining his strength from spending so much time wasting away after the magical sickness from Awakening Iyrmen.

Mulrot watched over her grandson, taking her own walk in the morning, pacing behind him, stretching, and even lifting weights lightly, until he was finally done with his morning routine. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, mostly from the light jogging before and after his weight lifting and his practise.

As Adam bathed, he peeked towards his children, who were enjoying their bath after a particularly harsh training that morning, for they had to walk so much, and after their greatfather teased them, they completed a few more laps, although Jirot had fallen first, for though she had unlimited energy for causing trouble, it was Little Jarot who possessed such unlimited energy for running.

“Perhaps I have made a mistake this morning…” Jirot groaned lightly.

Adam reached out, and as he brushed along her forehead, he let out the warmth of his healing touch.

Lay on Hands: 50 -> 49

Jirot shuddered lightly, and rested her head against her father’s hand, who also reached out to heal the rest of their children, and as they regained their strength, they swam over to their father, and hugged him tight, exchanging kisses with him.

“Thank you, daddy,” the children all said, one by one, and together.

“Of course, my dears.”

“Of course!” the children replied.

Adam’s smile threatened to blind them, and as they finally stepped out to the smell of breakfast, Adam let out a soft sigh, his eyes falling across the children. ‘I should play with them one by one too…’

That morning, toast, eggs, roasted vegetables, baked potatoes, porridge, thinly slices meat, and a mountain of fruit awaited them, although the mountain was soon dwarfed by a mountain of blue.

“Mama…” Amalrot called, pointing to the mountain of fruit.

“I will feed you,” Sonarot promised, and the girl smiled, accepting her mother’s fingers as the woman fed her.

‘I should probably do something with Amalrot too…’ As he thought about what he could do with her, the only thing he thought of was how she was so chonky, and her build was good to learn the way of the Rot family. ‘I can’t believe I let Jurot corrupt me like this.’

Lanarot ate the toast, one by itself, with a gentle slathering of butter, which caused her to hum with delight, before she ate the sandwich her eldest brother made for her, in between bites of the fruit her other eldest brother had gathered for her.

“Cousin Adam, are we going to play Warriors and Wanderers?” Gurot asked.

“That depends, are you going to try and eat the dice?” Adam accused.

“Cousin Adam, dice are not for eating.”

“I know, but when you were a small boy, you tried to eat the dice.”

“Cousin Adam, just because I am chonky, it does not mean I eat everything.” Gurot narrowed his eyes, and as he looked to his sister for support, he saw the way she furrowed her brows, and glanced aside. The boy blinked. ‘Huh?’

“Since you are so wise now, I will run a game for you, but this cousin of yours, he wants to go for a walk first to think about his ideas.”

“Okay, cousin Adam…” Gurot closed his eyes, not accepting the fact he had tried to eat dice when he was younger.

Adam leaned down to kiss his son’s ear gently. “Jarot, I’m going to give you this slice of salya. It’s all for you, okay?”

“Okay,” Jarot replied, accepting the spoonful of mashed salya, the boy smiling up towards his father, who winked.

Adam stepped out, the scent of breakfast behind him, to allow the darkness in his heart to dissipate, and as the bright snow greeted him, he stared towards it.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Vonda asked, stepping out with her husband, little Xarot resting his head on her shoulder, sucking his thumb, half asleep.

“Next year, when we step out to deal with the Reavers, will you stay in the Iyr?”

“Are you asking it, or do you wish for me to remain?”

Adam remained quiet for a long moment, and as he stared at the back of his son’s head, he sighed. “I'd like you to remain.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Adam swallowed the word. “It'll be extremely dangerous, and I think, considering the children's hearts, it may be best if you remain.”

Vonda tilted her head, her eyes scanning her husband, narrowing them slightly. “I may remain behind.”

Adam side eyed his wife, his brow raised. “What will I owe you?”

“I hope you will treat the Rays and Hopes well, and...” Vonda paused. “I hope you will also gift them a few magical items.”

“The Iyr did say we can’t do business with Aldland, but if it’s the Order of Life’s Rose, and if it’s a bunch of gifts…” Adam leaned in to kiss her neck, her cheek, and finally stole a kiss from her lips, pulling back with a small smile on his lips. Adam had already thought of the matter, and had resolved himself to hand over the various shields Vonda and Sara had enchanted.

Vonda, too, smiled, and as the two walked around the ring of the Front Iyr, there were others with deep thoughts within their minds.

Jurot, holding Damrot and Virot within each arm, for they had tried to jump into the snow, but they hadn’t checked to see if there were stones within. The two squirmed, and although Virot began to cry and wail, and speak such terrible words to her papo, saying things like she did not like him, or that she was going to beat him up, Jurot’s eyes trailed to the side, towards his wife.

‘When will our child be born?’

The thought remained unspoken. It was a guilty thought.

Although Adam returned to the complex to begin the game of Warriors and Wanderers, and many took that day to relax, there was a lean figure whose staff blurred through the sky. As her opponent used his palms and forearms to deflect the magical quarterstaff, Kitool panted lightly, even within the snow.

‘Paragons are such terrifying figures,’ Kitool thought, for her opponent was not a Paragon, a man who was a step below, and his kind smile did little to disarm her of his great might.

“Are you frustrated?” Malfev asked.

“No.” Kitool clasped the staff tightly, and the two faced one another again, her staff blurring once more. Yet, Malfev danced around her, and when he attacked her his fingers threatening to tap her skin, she, too, pulled back and remained roughly a fingerwidth ahead of his fingers, even when he threw a fist, a palm, or a chop.

‘It was said that if she had wielded her staff she would have defeated even Jurot,’ Malfev thought. ‘At this time, perhaps she may be a step behind, but as she takes the next step, she will perhaps be a step head of even Jurot once more.’

Kitool lay in the snow, panting for air, staring at the sky, the cool wind caressing her flushed face. She was paler, her cheeks and nose rosier, and as the snow began to fall, she slowly began to stand.

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have underestimated her so much…’ Malfev thought, his bruised arms throbbing wildly after facing her. ‘I should have remembered my grandnephew had forged her such a terrifying staff…’

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

I always forget how terrifying Kitool's abilities are.