Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

“Hello…” Konarot said, leaning back slightly to see the woman properly, for she was tall, taller than most figures she had seen in her life.

“Hello,” Tanika replied, her eyes scanning across the silver scales of the girl. ‘Is she…’

Konarot blinked, standing in awe before the sand giant, though she was quickly distracted as Bael stepped nearby, the girl’s entire focus now upon him.

“…”

“…”

“It is good to see you again,” a voice called, catching the little Iyrgirl’s attention. The half dragon smiled down towards her. “I see you are in good health, Kona, wasn’t it?”

“Hello.” Konarot blinked at the woman.

“Do you remember me?”

“Golden Savage,” Konarot replied. “Daddy beat you up.”

Vasera snorted, but bowed her head, since yes, she was the Golden Savage, and her daddy did beat her up.

Karot stared up towards Rook, who nodded at the boy, causing him to nod back. Kirot, on the other hand, greeted Blues, the pair rubbing one another’s cheeks gently.

“Okay?” Kirot asked.

“Teet.”

“Good work.”

“Teet.”

Adam held Vonda’s gaze for a long moment, shuffling a little closer while Virot wasn’t looking, the girl noting all the strange faces around her. His eyes then fell to Damrot, who stared up at his father’s face, completely glued to him, thinking whatever thoughts a little boy held. The group made their way into the estate proper, approaching a superbloc of the Iyr, where many awaited for the group to return.

“Oh?” Adam called out, noting just how many of his cousins were within the Front Iyr. “What’s all this?”

“Kaza!” A chorus of toddlers swarmed around the half elf, who handed Amal back to Ashmir, so he had enough space to embrace the children, greeting each of the children one by one, exchanging kisses and hugs. Of course, they all caused so much trouble, so he wouldn’t ask about that, but as he placed Inakan down finally, his eyes turned towards Pam to greet her, only for his mouth to form a tiny circle.

Adam blinked.

Pam was looking towards her husband, a tired smile upon her face.

“You dog, you!” Adam said, slapping his brother’s arm gently, making sure to miss Damrot.

The shadow of a smirk appeared on the Iyrman’s face.

“Congratulations,” Adam said, before quickly approaching Pam. “Congratulations to you too! Wow! Oh, by the Divine, what a guy! If he bullies you too much, let me know.”

“I can deal with him,” Pam joked, glaring at her husband lightly, only to stop upon seeing Damrot frowning, and the woman smiled and held out a hand, causing the boy to smile in return and reach out for his mother, since he held his uncle’s wisdom.

Sonarot noted the giant blue toddler, considered whose arms she was within, what colour she was, and with that she understood the situation, only for her mind to wander towards the young man in purple, then realising she had no idea what the situation would be.

“Aunt, look,” Adam said, Amal within his arms once more. “This is little Amalrot, and even though she’s my daughter, Jurot is stealing her from me!”

Sonarot glanced between the pair, at first thinking to admonish the half elf for using such a word to describe an Iyrman, but she could see how Jurot also wanted to adopt the girl. If she was free for adoption in such a way, it would be difficult for Jurot to defeat Adam, but considering how stubborn Jurot would be in this regard…

“I will claim her,” Sonarot said simply.

Adam blinked.

Jurot blinked.

Amal blinked.

Tanika blinked, surrounded by far too many children, each of whom technically wielded greater power than herself, who could clash with Experts and Masters with ease.

“Hello!” Inakan said, standing firmly proud opposite the giant woman, her hands on either side of her, clenched into fists.

That’s what it was, Tanika finally realised. That look within her eyes, the look of a child of the Iyr, who held not even a hint of fear, no apprehension within their voice. Even a child like Inakan, who was so much smaller than her peers, wore glasses for her weak sight, showed not a hint of fear. It was not because the children were green, she thought, but because the children, deep within their eyes, held that kind of apprehension when looking out to the world.

The sand giant’s eyes fell all around herself, noting the looks of the Iyrmen around her. There were those she could no doubt defeat, some who were stronger than herself, but she could see it. Even among all of these, who could not defeat their great warrior, Ramzan, yet they would draw their weapons in a moment’s notice, to fight to the death, even if there was no reason to.

Jurot held onto his wife’s hand a moment. The pair exchanged looks, her own eyes full of relief he returned so safely.

“There was no trouble?” Pam asked.

“There was much trouble,” Jurot stated.

Pam’s eyes fell to her husband’s brother, having all but expected it. The half elf seemed tense still, though she supposed he had been tense for well over a year now, letting out a gentle sigh, thinking a prayer for the young man.

Jurot finally gave up his son to his brother, for the half elf seemed to be coveting him to fill the space in his heart. Adam held Damrot, who smiled up at him shyly, kissing the boy’s cheek, the boy clapping his hands together, squirming into Adam’s chest. Virot looked at the pair with betrayal painted on her face, and though she made to cry, she stopped quickly since she was sitting side by side with Damrot.

“I will speak the tale,” Jurot said, pausing a moment as his brother leaned in to whisper something into his ear. The Iyrman began to speak the tale to the group, informing them all of the madness that was their journey, so full of Chaos, though what did they all expect.

Adam could feel it, though he decided against acknowledging the way his wife continually side eyed him during the tale, though their boots remained pressed side to side, sometimes their knees pressing together for a moment, though it was awkward due to the two toddlers on their laps. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel⸺fire.net

Then they came to one part…

“Taygak may speak her family’s tales after,” Jurot said, saying nothing about Tagak, Laygak, or Taygak during their adventure.

“Okay,” Taygak replied, flushing lightly.

“Oh?” called a voice, daring to interrupt the tale. “It seems your fathers have returned?”

“Brothers!” Lanarot exclaimed, the girl rushing up to Adam and Jurot, though since Adam had Damrot on his lap, she hopped onto Jurot’s lap and hugged the Iyrman tight. “You are back!”

“We have returned,” Jurot confirmed, holding his sister with one arm, the pair nuzzling against one another.

“Brother!” Lanarot called, reaching out to Adam from the side, the half elf pulling her in with one arm, peppering her cheek with kisses.

“Lanarot!” Adam smiled wide, though it was tempered by guilt. He had spent so much time with his own children that he sometimes neglected his younger sister, who adored him so, who was the reason why he was so welcome within the Iyr. “You are so heavy now! You are eating too much bread!”

“Brother! How can you say that? How can I eat too much bread?” The girl huffed. “It is not my fault!”

Adam held the girl close to his chest, wincing slightly out of shame. Lanarot, who he had abandoned in his previous life, and he was making the same mistake again. The half elf brushed her hair tenderly as she clutched at his collars with her tiny hands, which had been so much tinier not but a blink ago.

“I missed you so much,” the girl said, her head planting on her brother’s neck, one arm wrapping around his back, the other still at his collar.

“I missed you too,” Adam admitted, sniffling slightly, rubbing a tear against her shoulder lightly.

The girl glared up at the Iyrman, with his short hair, which Jirot had yet to comment on, and those beautiful tattoos she was so familiar with. However, the girl, but a year old, clutched at his finger, refusing to let her father go.

Xarot yawned, rubbing his eyes as he stirred further awake, looking to his mother with a small smile, but as he followed the woman’s hand, his face went from tired to shock, then to a large smile as he stared up at the handsome fellow with the leaf shaped ears.

“Xarot, you silly boy, are you troubling your greatfather?” Adam teased, his heart skipping a beat, the sickening shame filling his heart.

“How could my Xarot trouble me?” Jarot growled, annoyed he had to surrender the pair, though he plucked Damrot from the half elf, causing Virot to open her mouth in a guffaw, though she stopped after the old man sat beside her mother, causing the girl to climb over to the other side, and she decided to show mercy to her grandfather.

Bael thought back to Kizwolima. ‘Should I have crippled him?’

“Lanarot, you must greet your sister,” Sonarot said, motioning a hand to Amal beside her, who sat upon Ashmir’s lap.

“My sister?” Lanarot asked.

“Since I have adopted her, she is now your sister,” Sonarot explained.

Lanarot blinked. She looked to the girl, her skin a deep blue, like the deep ocean, tiny horns peeking out, her slightly pink nose. She was almost as big as Jirot, but the girl held much less intelligence within her eyes, far more curiosity.

Sonarot waited a moment for Lanarot to process what she had said, the girl making all manner of faces, blinking rapidly.