[Would you like to spend XP to empower the on?]

  ‘500,’ Adam replied. This wasn’t any old mace, this was going to be Vonda’s mace, so Adam wasn’t going to skimp on the on’s entment.

  XP: 7400 -> 6900

  ‘Nice.’

  MaceRequires AttuYou gain a +1 bonus to attad damage rolls made with this on. Upon stating the and word, glow up to 10 metres for ten mihe glorovide a gentle warmth, and be dismissed with a thought.Once per day you may heal anyone of your choosing within the glow 2D6+3 Health. This ability recharges at dawn.

  [Would you like to he on?]

  ‘Vonda’s Dawn.’

  Vonda’s DawnRequires AttuYou gain a +1 bonus to attad damage rolls made with this on. Upon stating the and word, glow up to 10 metres for ten mihe glorovide a gentle warmth, and be dismissed with a thought.Once per day you may heal anyone of your choosing within the glow 2D6+3 Health. This ability recharges at dawn.

  XP Gained: +500XP: 6900 -> 7400Great entme!XP Gained: +200XP: 7400 -> 7600

  ‘I hope she likes it,’ Adam thought. He was certain she’d enjoy the ability to heal with the on, but he wasn’t sure how she’d feel about the on dealing more damage.

  The Iyrman ith him that evening escorted him back to the estate.

  “Oh,” Adam said, staring at the figures before him. “It’s been a while.”

  “Wele back,” Naqokan said. The Iyrman, Shikan’s niece, was currently holding Lanarot’s hands, allowio walk with support. Damokan and Kalokan were sitting beside her quietly, pying with small tris.

  “What did you ent today?” Nirot asked, carrying her little brother on her back. Turot’s arms were ed around her ned he rested his cheek against her neck, his eyes closed as he ehe piggy back ride.

  It wasn’t just her, as Laygak ying with his siblings too, both Taygak and Saygak, and Faool held his cousin on his p.

  ‘When did they get so close to the children?’ Adam wondered. It was not a normal sight to see, sidering how distant the older siblings usually were. “A mace.”

  “Is it done?” Vonda asked, pushing away the awkwardness.

  “Yep,” Adam said, holding the on out to her. “It’s not my fi work, but I think you’ll like it.” If Adam had infiime, and more money, he’d be able to do much more with it. ‘Hold on, didn’t I have ahree thousand gold?’

  Vonda accepted the on from his hand, feeling the magic within it. “It’s not just a basic on?”

  “No,” Adam replied, as though it were obvious. “It glow for a short while, though you dismiss it and make it glow as you please. You also heal ahin the glow once per dawn.”

  Vonda’s first reflex was to dee the mace, but it was her birthday gift, something Adam had spent so much time and moo create. Not just that, but the others within his group also held such great ons, especially Duhe other Priest. “Thank you, Adam,” she said, softly, smiling from behind her scarf.

  Adam could see the gentle warmth in her eyes, and he gnced aside. “Yeah.” ‘I’m just giving her a gift, just like Kitool and Jaygak.’ Adam pushed away the fact that he hadn’t gone on a date with either of the Iyrmen.

  Naqokan lifted Lanarot up to her p, her eyes glued to both Adam and Vonda. ‘A Demon. A Dragon. A Priest.’ Naqokan uood that her petition was fierce.

  Shikan, who was stirring the pot as it was their turn to cook, wondered if he should call his o e and cook with them.

  Adam felt a shiver run down his spine, before he caught his Aunt’s gaze. He looked to Vonda, who was standing before him awkwardly, and then back to his Aunt. ‘Oh.’ He cleared his throat quickly. “Anyway, if you stick around with us, I’ll be sure to make you something much better. I fot that I had mold than I actually had so I didn’t spend the right amount of gems.”

  “This mace is great,” Vonda replied. “I need no other on, Adam.”

  “Even if it heal greater than the mace?” Adam asked.

  “I have my own strength too,” Vonda replied, not wanting to ht refuse something which would assist her with healing, but she couldn’t accept so much of his favour.

  “Here I thought I was good with my words.” Adam chuckled.

  Soon dinner was ready, and Adam’s other panions came to dih them too. They would sometimes dih the families here, but sometimes they would dih other Iyrmen, who wished to share their tales to the Asriest of Wahtu, and a previous member of an Order like Jonn. Nobby was quite the sight for the Iyrmen, who wao wrestle him, since he was tall and strongly built, greater than even some Iyrmen. Brittany enjoyed hearing the tales, and the Iyrmen were gd to see a vilge girl wishing to fight for freedom. Fred enjoying hearing the tales like Brittany, but remained quiet.

  “Now that I think about it, we have a fairly banced group,” Adam said, looking to his panions. “lenty of people with magid plenty of people without magic. We have multiple people in the same roles, so lit the party pretty mu half too.”

  “Another idea of yours?” Dunes asked, sipping the salty soup.

  “I’m just saying,” Adam replied, sipping his own soup. He broke some bread for his sister. “Ohe others return, we’ll have everyoogether, so we …”

  “What?” Dunes asked, noting how Adam fell silent.

  “Hold on. Aren’t the Undead going to wake up soon?” Adam asked. “We should get ready to help the nearby vilges.”

  “No,” Dunes replied. “Why would the Undead awaken this month?”

  “Didn’t they wake up around this time st year?” Adam asked.

  “A Great Twilight has e across the nd,” Vonda said. “The Undead will remain silent for at least another month.”

  “Oh,” Adam said. “Is that how that works?”

  “Yes,” Vonda replied. The others each had their suspis, but this had all but firmed that Adam was not from this nd. He may have been from another ti, or even, another realm.

  “Cool.” Adam broke another piece of bread for his sister, who tossed a small piece of bread away, before eating anuess I don’t really o worry about it until Jurot and the others return. Do we know when they’ll return?”

  “It will be midway through the month,” Nirot said. “We will not know if they have fallen until then.”

  Adam choked on his soup, coughing against his arm. “Why did you have to say it like that?”

  Nirot’s nostrils fred. “It is a great honour to…” Nirot caught the way Adam was staring at her, and fell quiet. ‘It is no matter, I ot reveal much about it.’

  “Speaking of which, where were you four?” Adam asked, looking to the teens. He hadn’t seen them during the first week of dawnval, and had only just realised he didn’t see them on his birthday, or Katool’s.

  “We-“

  “Wait!” Adam gasped.

  Nirot, and the other Iyrmen nearby, stared at the Half Elf after his outburst.

  “Katool.”

  Katool, who was chewing on some of the meat, looked up at Adam.

  “You did n me bay pizza on your birthday.” Adam frowned.

  “Oock,” came the response from the little girl, whht her hands emphatically to her mouth in shock. “Sorry, Cousin Adam.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes at her. “Since you are such a good girl, I’ll five you this time.”

  “Okay,” Katool replied, smiling up at the Half Elf, before she held up her bowl. “I give you soup?”

  “It’s okay. You’re a big girl now, so you o eat all your food so you grow bigger and stronger.” Adam o the girl.

  “Okay,” the girl replied, sipping her soup with vigour, before her mother held the boulled it back gently, trying to get her to drink moderately.

  ‘Why is my Cousin so queer?’ Nirot thought. “We were guarding the borders.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” Adam asked.

  “Yes,” Nirot replied, smiling up at him with pride.

  “You Iyrmen really are built different,” Adam whispered. “Is it safe for you to guard the borders?”

  “We are guided by an Expert during the patrols.”

  “That’s good then,” Adam said. “Do I o guard the patrols?”

  “You are a Nephew, Adam,” Nirot said. “Guarding the borders is for Iyrmen to do.”

  “Did you have fun?” Adam asked.

  Nirot smiled, w if she could mention the fact that the group had mao sy a Giant Boar. “Yes.”

  “That’s good then,” Adam said. “Does the Iyr need me anywhere during the month, then? I’ll just ent and smith while I have the ce, before we have to leave.” Adam threw a look to Vonda, who bowed her head.

  “We do not need you anywhere,” Nirot stated, firmly.

  “You know what I mean.”

  Sonarot rubbed her cheek. “Why are you always in such a rush to work?”

  “Because,” Adam said. “I’ll be able to grow more powerful the more I work.”

  “You are already powerful enough for ye,” Sonarot said, before her eyes fell to Sir Vonda, who had also mao bee an Expert before een years of age, and even without Adam’s assistance she was so close to it.

  “Yeah, but…” Adam wasn’t sure what to say.

  “Your sister will be so lonely,” Sonarot said.

  Adam fell silent. He sipped his soup, narrowing his eyes at his Aunt, who smiled ily towards him.

  Lanarot tossed another piece of bread away from her.

  “Stop wasting so much food,” Adam said, holding the girl’s face, squeezing her cheeks gently. “Is it because I haven’t been pying with you?”

  Lanarot babbled and squirmed against his touch, before returning back to eating her precious bread.

  ‘It’s a good thing that you’re in the Iyr, otherwise I’d go crazy,’ Adam thought, brushing the girl’s hair gently. ‘Right. I don’t o worry about her safety at all, so I should just foy own pns for now.’

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