Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

Adam thought about the face of the little girl, so tiny and alien. He thought about the face Nobby made, so full of uncertainty, for though he was the girl’s father, he was too weak, the young man thought.

‘I’ll need to work hard too.’ Adam thought, the pressure of many families weighing so heavily upon his shoulders, all of whom had joined the business upon his insistence, and upon the insistence of those he trusted.

“Dahddy…” Jirot stared up towards her father, who she had bullied rather relentlessly the past few days, but in the most adoring way possible, with aggressive affection.

“It’s time for daddy to go back to work, but don’t worry, I’ll be sure to read with you and play with you all in the evening,” Adam promised.

“Huh?” Gurot called, staring up at his cousin, glancing aside to his father, who was about to leave too, the boy narrowing his eyes to his cousin. “Cousin Adam, you cannot go! You must play!”

“I must work now, cousin Gurot.”

“Why are you working? Father is working, you must stay!” the boy replied, holding up both of his hands as if to say these were merely the rules.

“I will return and play with you, I promise,” Adam assured, picking his cousin up, hugging him tight, then glanced down towards the rest of the children, who embraced him so affectionately. He left with a tightness in his chest, for surely working was evil if it made the children so sad? ‘I’ll become the Lord of Labour and ban everyone from working!’

The children also prepared to go to school, returning to find their father, uncle, brother, cousin, had yet to return.

However, the children returned to their typical routine of storming upon their families, upon their elders, who warmly accepted the children’s affections. They all gathered together to play, draw, while Malfev took a particular group to train lightly. The children napped once they returned, and the day passed by swiftly for them, the half elf returning in the later afternoon, not long after their nap.

Adam allowed the restless children to storm upon him, forcing him to play with them, until dinner time came, where the half elf could rest, cuddling up beside his wife. Little Xarot picked up the boiled vegetables, chewing it slowly, alternative between the chicken and the vegetables.

“Xarot, here,” Jirot called, spooning a small amount of boiled potato for her youngest brother.

“Eh!” Xarot complained, though he accepted the food from his elder sister.

“You, you silly boy, you are your sister’s sister,” Jirot muttered to herself, not realising how her greatfather struggled not to burst out into laughter.

Kirot assisted Virot, who complained each time, but accepted since Kirot was also her sister, so the girl would say.

“Amal, here,” Lanarot said, holding up a cup of warm water for the girl, who preferred it hotter, but the elders were mindful Lanarot may hurt herself in her sibling zeal. Amal sipped the warm water thirstily, as though she had never drunk water previously, sighing lightly, closing her eyes as her elder sister pat her chin with a small towel. “You were meant to drink it, not swim in it, you silly girl. Are you an Iyrman or are you a merman?”

Adam held his grandfather’s gaze, the pair’s faces tensing up as they tried not to laugh.

‘My sister is so funny,’ Jurot thought, the shadow of a smile slipping across his face.

It was on one particular day when Jirot glared at her father, for though she was not allowed to bully him, today of all days, if he wished to fight, she would fight.

“Jirot,” Adam called, inhaling deeply, causing his daughter to pause. “Get the dice!”

Jirot stood even taller, the girl rushing away to do as her father asked, finding the trays, along with her siblings, who assisted in setting up the table while their small aunts and uncles each readied the younger children to play.

Virot on the other hand glared at her mother, for the woman dared to deny her various rights, but how could she do this? How could her mother not-,

Vonda lifted her daughter up, causing the girl to twitch, and then a gentle, shy smile encroached her lips.

“Mumma…”

“Alright, let’s go exercise together,” Adam eventually said, allowing his granduncle to lead them away. This time the little aunts and uncles of the children joined them, along with a great many other older Iyrmen, who played with the children, teaching them the training they would begin, and would expand as they grew.

Yes, it was a wonderful time, wasn’t it?

“What?” Jirot gasped, almost dropping her cup in sheer shock. “Mummy?”

“I must go.”

Jirot’s head darted to he grandmother, pointing to her mother with her whole hand. ‘Nana! You are seeing this?’

“I must go,” Vonda repeated. “If I do not go, your father will work too much.”

“Huu! How! You! Mummy, you! Ooooh, mummy!” Jirot said, shaking her head, as though preparing to fight her mother, but it was difficult, since her mother was the strongest.

Little Jarot also stood to one side, Karot standing beside him, the pair holding hands as though to protect themselves from the fact their mother was going today?

What?

How could she do this?

Lanarot stood, glancing between the stand off of her nieces and nephews and her sister, her brother’s wife. ‘Oh dear, oh dear.’

“I will ask your babos and nanos to play with you while I am gone, but, since you must go to school, and then play and nap, I will return before you know it.”

“This is the worst day of my life!” Jirot complained, reaching up to cover her eyes, sniffling, but she marched up to her mother, hugging her leg, sobbing lightly.

Virot glanced between her mother and her sister, furrowing her brows. “Mumma?”

“I must go.”

Virot gasped, reaching up to her head, turning to look towards her grandmother, who smiled towards her, before the girl made to cry, causing Damrot to cry, causing Xarot and Monarot to cry. The symphony of tears soon tempered, for the arms of their grandmother and greatparents wrapped around them, soothing the children.

“No!” Virot complained as her grandmother tried to take her away to change her clothy, along with Damrot.

“Virot, we must go,”

“No!” Virot complained. “Mumma!”

Sonarot hadn’t underestimated the girl’s love for her mother, for she was her father’s daughter, but Virot had underestimated Sonarot, for Sonarot was Sonarot, and if Sonarot wanted to clean her clothy, she would clean her clothy indeed.

Adam sighed, feeling the sun against his skin, noting the grey clouds beginning to overwhelm the open sky. He glanced aside towards his wife, who was preparing to enchant, sitting within the centre of the several spires, the spear across her lap.

Vonda understood not to ask about her husband’s peculiar gaze, since he would say something in front of the two Iyrmen who were watching over them.

‘If Vonda’s making the Basic ones, I can deal with the Greater ones myself…’ “Darling, how many spears can you enchant at once?”

“Three.”

‘Oh? I guess it gave her everything, then? Thanks, Bell.’

[…]

“How long will it take you?”

“Three days for three spears.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yes.”

“I think I need five days for my Greater spears and I can make four, so…” Adam considered just how amazing his wife was. It had taken him so long to enchant so many, and she had gained the ability only recently. ‘My wife is the best!’

As the children returned back to the estate, Virot swarmed her elder sister, who accepted the girl’s affection.

“Ock! Virot, I will not abandon you!” Jirot kissed her sister’s cheek, the girl squealing loudly, accepting the affection of her elder siblings.

Xarot stared out at the world confused, for certainly the boy had called for his mother many times, and only his nana had appeared. However, he was quickly distracted by his sister, who picked him up and kissed him, the boy smiling shyly.

“Xarot, you must sleep soon, yes? Come, I will change you.”

“I will change him,” the one armed Jarot said.

“I will change him,” Mulrot stated. “You may keep the children company.”

Jarot understood not to grumble, for it was the best deal. The old one armed man could see how the children were distracted at first, confused, for their father and mother were not around, and a void had appeared within their lives once more, but it was fortunate for them that he was here, for the old man could shower them with such affection, even if their mother and father were gone, they couldn’t help but feel loved.

“No, babo, no! You are so terrible at ji emming! I show you!” Jirot said, though after a few moments, she followed her elder siblings as they charged towards their mother and father, who smiled down towards them all.

“Jirot, are you GMing?”

“Yes!”

“We leave you alone for one day and you already think you’re the boss?”

“Even if you are here, I am the boss,” Jirot stated, hugging her father’s leg, her face buried within his thigh.

Adam smiled, dropping down to his knees, hugging his children to his chest. This would soon become their routine, for though Adam had warned them, his children were so troublesome that they refused to listen, and such, they grew up.

‘You’re all such silly children, aren’t you?’ Adam thought.

Vonda let out a small sigh, as the warmth returned towards her heart, her children filling the gap that had formed once she had been without them for a short while. ‘How difficult…’

If the children did not heal, her husband would not heal. If her husband would not heal, then…

She hoped he would listen to her, for the world was still a beautiful place.