“My granddaughter keeps causirouble at this age,” Jarot groaned, p his cousin the grain wine of the business.

  “She returned without pint,” Kamrot replied, the pair raising their cups, before the men sipped the wine.

  “She should have pined a little at least!”

  Kamrot shook his head lightly, taking his turn to pour the wihe pair sipped the peach wine, so sweet, a never quite so bitter. They leaned ba their seats, staring up at the stars. “I should go too.”

  “Your pce is here.”

  “What will Rirot think of me?”

  “She would wonder why you are not spoiling those precious children who showed such adoration for her,” Jarot replied simply, letting out a tired sigh, though his eyes teased Kamrot with a pyful look.

  Kamrot chuckled lightly, throwing a look to his cousin. He had slimmed down quite a bit from the st year, even with his ret weight gain. There was a sharpness around the old man, crippled as he was. He recalled the Jarot of old, the wildness in his eyes, and though the old man had lot so much of himself after the death of his children, there was a rage within the old Iyrman’s eyes, born anew.

  “You must bring them home safely,” Kamrot said, surrendering to the old man’s words.

  “I still have one arm and one leg,” Jarot replied, and though the pair chuckled, Kamrot uood the old man would die before his grandsons.

  “Did Rajin bring sourwine?”

  “He will brew sourwine upon our return,” Jarot stated.

  “Okay.” Kamrot smiled, staring up at the sky. “It will be the most delicious.”

  Jarot grunted in affirmation, staring up at the twinkling stars, noting all the stars his greatdaughter pointed out to him, as though he wasn’t the one who had taught her them. His body tensed up, but he quickly calmed himself. Kamrot noted Jarot’s body tensing up, but said nothing, as the old man’s eyes filled with sadness. It was only the sed day he had spent away from the children, but Jarot could hear the phantom screaming within his ears.

  There were those in the Iyr who prayed, and those in the business who did the same.

  Mork felt the wind against his face as he prayed before the wooden shrine which had been built for Lady Tempest. He had pced his coppers within the box, full of coppers the businessfolk sometimes pced whe rained. Since duskval had begun, more coppers would flood the shrine, and sometimes, during particurly terrible rains, silvers.

  ‘A storm will soon befall this nd,’ Mork thought, quietly praying. ‘Lady, please watch over us.’

  Another pair prayed in the evening before the statue of the Lady of War. After their formal prayer, the pair repeated a statement a huimes.

  “Lady’s strength,” Amira said.

  “La,” Ranya prayed.

  “Lady’s strength.”

  “La.”

  Amira brought Ranya in for a tight hug, kissing her forehead, brushing the girl’s head, feeling the prickly hair which regre her head. “Well done, Ranya.”

  “Mama!” The girl beamed with pride, giggling wildly.

  “…”

  “…”

  “I have to go,” Dunes finally said.

  “You may die.”

  “If I do not go, how I call myself her father?” Dunes asked, reag out to brush Ranya’s cheek with the back of a finger.

  “Aba!” Ranya squealed with delight, throwing up her arms, before g excitedly.

  “I will be back.”

  “If you do not return, I will ask Lord Sozain to throw you into the fires,” Amira warned.

  “If I do not return, Lord Sozain may returo you, so that I suffer worse.” Dunes ed his arms around his wife, nuzzling against her neck.

  “You were always so foolish, Morn.”

  “You married me.”

  “You married me,” Amira corrected, ping his cheek, and not even Dunes’ beard dared to prick her hand.

  Meanwhile, within the Iyr, the Chief brushed his beard with a hand, deep in thought. It was all too much. Adam. The Reavers. The deaths of the children.

  An aide approached, slipping the Chief a slip of paper. The Chief’s eyes sed the several notes within, from the reat Elders, and the other Elders. He reread the slip of paper again, writing it within his book, before pg the o one side to be archived.

  “Hmm,” the Chief mused aloud. ‘They are correct. I should return to deal with the Reavers.’ “Baztam, do you wish to retire soon?”

  “I have no sutentions,” Baztam replied. He had long white hair, green eyes, and was shorter than the average Iyrman, though he was no less muscur.

  “Baztam,” Iromin called once more. “Do you wish to retire soon?”

  Baztam furrowed his brows to the Chief. “Retirement? Retirement? You always take all the glory for yourself, Iromin.”

  “What glory will I take this time?”

  “How many drakes have you killed?” Baztam asked.

  “A dozen?” Iromin joked.

  “Eleven,” Baztam said. “Eleven you killed. How many have I killed?”

  “Twenty three.”

  “Twice your number, but do they call me Drakebane? No! They call me Bck Shark. Bck Shark. My on is not bck. I walk on the nd with my two feet.”

  “The shark is for your sword. The bck is because-,”

  “I kill so many that the nd looks bck, but it looks red! They should have called me Red Shark!” Baztam pined. “Now I am here, stuck as your aide, as you push all this work upon me.”

  “So you will retire?”

  “I will retire if you let me kill a Grand ander.”

  “Which Grand ander?”

  “Greatwood.”

  “He is not your prey.”

  “Whose prey is he if not mine?”

  Iromin raised his brows.

  “You see? I ask you a question and you will deign me an answer. You think you are too good. Ack! I should have killed you when I had the ce.”

  “When was the ce?”

  “In my dreams, where your beard is silver and ne.”

  “Will you retire?”

  “Ack! I will retire, just to shut you up,” Baztam growled, pretending as though he didn’t want to kill a Viander or three.

  “Thank you, Baztam.”

  When m came to the business, Adam gred at the trio. His eyes darted between each of them, the half elf’s mind buzzing with annoyance.

  “What are you doing?” Adam asked.

  “It just so happens that Mara and I are going the same way,” Lucy replied.

  “Lucy. Mara. This is serious. It’s a bunch of Orders. They’ll want to kill you more than…” Adam gnced around at the other businessfolk about. He raised his brows to the pair of demons.

  “I am ing too,” Dunes said, distrag the half elf from the Demons.

  “Why?”

  “I have debt to repay.” Duhrew a look to Luodding his head knowingly.

  Adam gnced betweerio again. He chewed on his lip for a moment. “All the Divine damn you.”

  Dunes reached down to his amulet, rubbing it gently, raising his brows to the half elf.

  “I’m not taking it back,” Adam said, before reag into his tunid holding out two diamonds. “Yeah, exactly. If you didn’t feel that awkward looking at them, I wouldn’t let you e with.”

  Adam marched his way to the carriages. There were three, each long and wide, each pulled by a magical steed. Adam’s own Zeus, Jurot’s summoeed from the statue, and Jonn’s summoeed.

  “Mister Adam,” called a small voice, and Adam gnced down towards Elsie. “Will you py dragonchess with me?”

  Adam stopped, his face quickly going from annoyao fusion, before he smiled, noting Cobra quickly approag. “Of course.”

  Dragonchess (Intelligence)D20 + 3 = 4 (1)

  “You’re not very good at dragonchess, mister Adam,” Elsie teased.

  “No. I suppose when I get back, you’ll have to teach me.”

  “Oh I’m so busy mister Adam, but if you e when I’m in css, we could py dragonchess.” The girl raised her brows ily.

  “What are you learning in ow?” Adam asked.

  “We’re learnin’ about subtra.”

  “Ah. I’ll see what I do.” Adam winked, reag over to brush the girl’s hair gently.

  “Mister Adam, before you goes, I’ve got a gift,” the girl said, rushing away. The girl returo the patient half elf with a small bracelet, made of string twisted together, dyed in all manner of colours, with a single hydra scale dangling in the middle of the colourful string.

  “What’s this?” Adam asked.

  “It’s my gift to you, mister,” Elsie said, holding it up to the half elf.

  Adam plucked it from her fingers, noting the scale had beeched with a crude pattern. “Thank you so much, Elsie.”

  The girl’s cheeks turned red, her smile radiating out towards the half elf. “Hehe.”

  Adam he crude pattern, and after slipping on the bracelet, he smiled, realising the pattern oorly carved A. “It’s a wonderful gift, Elsie.”

  “Thank you so much fer saving me, mister Adam.” Elsie bowed her head shyly.

  Adam dropped to a knee and pulled the girl in close, as he had done so when they had first met, when she had been so close to dying to the hydra’s maws. He ruffled her hair gently. “I want you to try hard in css, and if you study hard, I’ll be sure to get you a nice gift too.”

  “Aaaw,” Elsie replied with a small pout.

  Adam gnced aside to the rest of the children, nodding his head towards them. “Alex, you let me know if aeals the milk from your pe, okay?”

  “Okay, mister Adam.”

  “Gee?”

  “Yes, mister Adam?” Gee replied, his voice smming into the air like a hammer.

  “I know Fred’s a little mean, but don’t go stabbing him, okay?”

  “I won’t!” Gee replied, and though his voice was as ral as ever, it sped up and Adam could see the pani the boy’s face.

  Adam ughed, patting Fred’s shoulder. “Be careful of that one. He’s smart, and he’s quick.”

  “I know, Executive,” Fred replied, smiling awkwardly.

  “We’ll be back soon, so don’t have too much fun without us,” Adam said, waving his hand towards the businessfolk, before stepping away without saying a proodbye to them.

  “Executive Adam,” Rick called out to the half elf. “Thank you, sir.”

  “What for?” Adam asked, throwing a gowards the fellow, whose beard had been so ly trimmed, as though by an Aswadian’s hand.

  “For everything, sir.”

  Adam caught the eyes of all the other businessfolk, and the half elf just smiled, nodding his head. “Any time.”

  “You’ll be back soon, Executive?” Rick asked.

  “By the end of the month,” Adam assured.

  “Okay,” Rick replied, nodding his head, as though he believed the half elf’s ridiculous words.

  Adam let out a small sigh, befng aside to Jasmine and Siten. He scratched his cheek and walked over to them. “It almost slipped my mind, but I wao say thank you to you, Siten.”

  “…”

  “Just know that you and Jasmine, you both have a pce here as long as you need. You don’t have to worry about shelter, food, and if you ever want to leave, you let me know, and I’ll let you leave with a chest of gold.”

  “Thank you, Executive,” Jasmine replied. “Siten, bow your head.”

  Siten bowed his head, his movement slightly jerky, though gave away nothing from behind his veil.

  “I don’t know why he always acts like a robot, but I like him,” Adam said, assuming Siten probably had some kind of ay, though not so muxiety that he wouldn’t draair of bdes to attack the Order.

  “A what?”

  “Nothing,” Adam replied, shaking his head. “No such thing as a robot in this kind of world. structs, maybe.”

  Insight Check (Wisdom)D20 + 1 = 11 (10)

  Thankfully for Jasmine, she had been trained in such etiquette, and had followed Adam enough to stop being quite so shocked, so didn’t give away herself away when Adam, by sheer ce, figured out Siteence.

  Adam o Bil, who returned a nod of his head, before he gnced down towards the Aswadian children. Adam rubbed his and walked over to the Aswadian. “By the way, did they get their gifts?”

  “They did,” Bil assured.

  “Good, good.” Adam tio nod his head, finding the motion f, sing the rest of the business as he did so. ‘It’s not like I have much to do here, since everyone else is so hard w.’

  “Adam,” Dunes called, before leading the half elf to the side, where Ranya waited, the girl smiling with her half white and half pink smile.

  “Aba!” The girl crawled over to her father, who lifted her up.

  “We are leaving soon, but we will return,” Dunes said, before holding out a finger, which her daughter grabbed. “Would you like to say goodbye to the Executive before we leave?”

  “Ranya,” Adam called, holding out a finger, causing the girl to pause in thought, before she hid her head within her father’s chest. Adam smiled. “We’ll be back soon, Ranya. Your father and I, we’re going to deal with some business, and then we’ll be back.”

  “Aba?” Ranya asked.

  “That’s right,” Adam promised. “So don’t cause too much trouble for your mother, okay?”

  “Mama?”

  “Yes.”

  The girl squealed, her head darting around to try and find her mother, who carefully made her way over, an Iyrman esc her through the business.

  “Well, I tried,” Adam joked.

  “You will return by the end of the month?” Amira asked.

  “We will.”

  Amira kept Adam’s gaze for a long while. “Okay.”

  The group then began to make their way out, heading to the vilge, while their carriages were checked over by the Iyrmen.

  “Here,” Adam said, handing over a quarterstaff and a shield to the Chief.

  “What is this?” Chief Merl asked, slightly fused.

  “A magical staff and shield, both Basic.”

  “How…” The old woman shook her head, trying to firength to refuse, and to apologise to him.

  “Is Merry around?” Adam asked, smiling towards the old woman, whose eyes rushed with further guilt. “Don’t worry, I don’t have anything magical for him this time.”

  “I’m sorry, Adam.”

  Adam pced a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Chief, it’s going to be okay.”

  Merl ed her arms around Adam’s chest, hugging him close for a moment. “Let me take you to Merry.”

  Merry held the block tight in hand, staring at it intensely, before pg it down. He grabbed another block, staring at it intensely for a long moment, before pg it upon the previous block. The boy let out a satisfied sigh, before crawling away from his hard work, actally kig it down.

  “He’s kier than I remember,” Adam admitted.

  “Yes, Executive,” Nobby replied, standing awkwardly beside the half elf.

  “Good. Did he get his gift?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I was a little sick at the time, so when I e back I’ll try and sort out something nicer for him, and for you.”

  “…”

  “What is it?”

  “I want to go too.”

  “Do you know why you’re here with Fred, Brittany, the others?”

  “No.”

  “Everyone feels guilty, but I ’t take everyone. Jonn, he swore his Oaths. Dunes. He’s always been weird around my twins. He was seds away from clearing his heart, but…” Adam shook his head. “You, Nobby? You’ve got nothing prove to anybody.”

  “I failed.”

  “No, I’m the one who failed you. So just wait until I get back, because when I cause a mess, I’ll need you at tip top shape, alright?”

  “Okay.”

  Adam pat the young man’s back. “I’ll need you to train your cousin, and the others who are training in my brother’s way while we’re gone.”

  “Yes, Executive.”

  “This year everyone’s gotten all formal,” Adam groaned, letting out a sigh. He greeted Merl on the way out, before making his way to the carriages, which were ready to leave.

  “Adam,” Kamrot called, before hugging the young man close. “When you pass by Red Oak, will you buy me tea?”

  “Of course,” Adam replied, smiling slightly.

  “I would ask Jarot, but he will fet. I would ask Jurot, but he does not appreciate tea as much as you, my grandnephew.” Kamrot brushed Adam’s cheek with his old, war worn hands.

  Adam smiled wider. “Of course, granduncle.”

  Kamrot gnced aside to Haytam, who gred at the old man with expet eyes. Kamrot then brought Adam in close again, holding the back of the half elf’s head as he brought the young man’s head to his chest.

  “Whatever you do, it is the sequence of their as, not yours.” Kamrot ruffled the back of his hair. “Swing your axe without guilt, and paint the nd red, as is yht.”

  Adam swallowed as he was let free again, feeling the strong hands pat at his shoulders gently. “Okay.”

  Kamrot nodded, allowing the half elf to leave. He watched the half elf go, his thoughts no doubt muddled for a moment, but soon they would calm, and he would uand.

  “Oh, granduncle?” Adam called, throwing a look over his shoulder. “Your new hair suits you.”

  Kamrot reached up to rub his bald head lightly, smiling slightly as the half elf and the others climbed into their carriages.

  “Blues, you o stay here too,” Adam called out, patting the side of the carriage, as the little bird remaiop the carriage, right beside a particur owl.

  “Teet?”

  “ime.”

  “Uncle,” Haytam called out, reag out her forearm. “You must kill one for me.”

  Gorot shook her forearm. “I will plete my duty.”

  “I know.” Haytam squeezed his forearm. “If you do not, granduncle will beat you.”

  Gorot said nothing, nodding his head once, before he stepped away into the carriage.

  Lucy, Mara, Dunes, Bael, and Gorot, sat ihird carriage. Adam and Jurot sat alohin the sed carriage. Jarot, Tonagek, Mosen, Rajin, and Jonn, each sat in the first, with Jonn driving the lead carriage forward.

  The vilgers and the businessfolk watched as the carriages made their way out of the vilge, headiward along the road. Most of the businessfolk watched from the walls, while Rid his panioo work, waiting for the others to join them.

  Brittany walked around the perimeter of the walls, frowning as none of them had greeted her personally. She reached down to her bdes, uhing them, feeling the tingle of magic within them. She stared down at them for a long moment, the steel so finely crafted, and so finely ented, her thoughts upon her journey so far. She closed her eyes. She could still remember the fmes she had seen that day. She opened her eyes.

  “Where are you going?” Fred asked, making his rounds.

  “I o go see Nobby,” Brittany replied.

  “Why?”

  “I want to talk to him.”

  “Okay,” Fred said, nodding his head to the woman, before tinuing on his rounds.

  ‘What’s wrong with him?’ Brittany made her way to the nearby vilge.

  “Brittany,” Nobby called upon seeing her.

  “Nobby.” Brittany eyed up the vilge around her.

  “…”

  “…”

  “Okay?” Nobby asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Is there a problem?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Meanwhile, Rick whistled, calling for the wolves, who rushed over towards him. He brushed their fur gently, eyeing up the Awakened Wolves. “Did the Managers ask you to do anything in particur?”

  “Business as usual,” Mighty replied, while Wolfy shrugged.

  “Okay.” Rick motioned with his head, allowing the wolves to return back to hunting around the nd, while he returhrowing a wave to Ivy, who nodded her head iurn. Rick tipped his helmet to Haytam, who bowed her head lightly, before he made his way back to cheg on the businessfolk.

  Haytam noted Fred staring out of the fort, towards the east. “What es your thoughts, so?”

  “I should have goh them,” Fred said, repying the se within his mind. He, who had taken responsibility for Larot from Uwajin, a had been uo save him.

  “…” Haytam left the Lead be.

  It was ter in the evening when Amira, Fred, and Rick met together to discuss the matters of the business. They allowed the heavily pregnant Amira to leave quickly, while the pair of young men fiheir evening meals quietly.

  “What’s wrong?” Rick asked.

  Fred shook his head lightly. “I should have goh them.”

  “Why?”

  “I should have.”

  “You’re needed here.”

  “I just…” Fred shook his head. “He’s done so mue, and I didn’t even try.”

  “Fred,” Rick called, catg the young man’s eyes. “You’ve known him lohan I, so I don’t want to speak out of my position, but if you were gone, who would mahe business?”

  “There would be you and Manager Amira.”

  “I became a Lead a day ago. Manager Amira? She is with child, and o plete the duties of Manager Dunes while he is away. When they return, you speak of paying your debts then, but until then, we need you to focus on the business, as was asked of you.”

  “Do you really think they’ll return?”

  Rick raised his brows, because of all the people to ask, he didn’t expect Fred to ask. “Were you there?”

  “Where?”

  “Meeting the Divine.”

  “The Divine?” Fred asked.

  “It was when… Manager Dunes was trying to find Manager Amira. Around that time, he sent you and Lead Jonn, do you remember?”

  “I remember,” Fred firmed. "Jo missing for a little while.”

  “Right, right,” Rick said, slowly nodding his head. “I’m not sure what happehere, but Jonn appeared to us. We…” Rick paused, unsure of what to say, since he wasn’t sure Fred knew what had happened iher world. “He’ll e back. He said he would.”

  “He’ll e back because he said so?”

  “He always does.”

  “This time, it’s different. He’s fag the Orders. The Orders, they…”

  “Fred, do you remember two years ago, wheive Adam stared down the Marshal, Lord Benjamin Gravesea?”

  “I remember.”

  “On that day, when I saw the First Hope, in that beautiful armour of his, wearing his amulets, riding his mighty steed, I thought he had e to save us. The First Hope, stro of all Hopes, had e to save us in reatest time of need. A few days ter, I saw something I didn’t think possible, even after knowing Adam, the Executive, for that long. On that day, I realised we did not he First Hope to save us.”

  Fred fell into thought. He recalled what happened back then, when the Marshal of the East had e for Alex. He remembered how fearless the half elf had been, along with his panions, to protect a random child he had met through ce. Then, he remembered how the Seventh Hope had spoken so poorly of the half elf’s family, and how the half elf had dared to even defend his family’s honour from the First Hope.

  This time it was different.

  This time, it was not the Marshal of the East, nor the Order of Life’s Rose, but most of the Orders.

  Except…

  This time, his panions were not the same. Instead of Jaygak and Kitool, there was the Mad Dog and the Bearded Dragon.

  This time, they had not spoken poorly of his family.

  This time, there was no hope.

  Adam had gohrough impossible sarios again and again, and he always mao e out ahead. Even during that evening, the half elf came face to face with a being that was nearby impossible to see again, partly because Adam retty sure he had killed them with his own two hands.

  Happy New Years! What are yoals for 2025?

  Just a cheeky little cliffhao start off the year :)