Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

‘It is hard to keep up with his pace,’ John had informed them when he had returned.

‘Even for you?’ Esther had joked.

‘It is true that it is physically difficult, but it is difficult for the mind too,’ John said. ‘You will understand.’

Adam’s role was more than enough to threaten the group, but it was everything else about the half elf which threatened the group. He was not just any figure, but the kind of figure who had, allegedly, killed Sir James Greatwood, so John had said.

That much, they could not confirm, for even if they heard it from everyone around them, it was difficult to accept.

However, John had said so much more, about who the half elf had defeated over the course of the few months he had travelled with them.

Ashuk the Spear.

One of the Five Moons, who were considered equivalent to a Grand Commander.

The Amira’s personal guard, who was not just any guard, but a figure who could also clash with the various Grand Commanders, so they had heard.

It was Adam, that Adam, who was the girl’s father, the green skinned girl who caused so much trouble, who bullied them relentlessly, yet also bullied her father even more viciously, and yet so many favoured her so.

They understood why…

“Papo, how can you do this?” Jirot asked, for she had grown bored without her mother and father, so had gone to trouble the business.

“I must train them,” Jurot replied, currently in the middle of training the entire group once more, still in the middle of testing the newcomers, but also checking on the previous folk who had joined in order to gather their current power.

“You are training them all day, every day, but they must rest,” Jirot replied. “It is important to work hard and to play hard and to rest hard.”

“Who spoke the words.”

“Babo.”

“Which babo?”

“Babo Malfev, when we were training the other day, when it was, um, raining, last month.”

“If one must work hard, then play hard, then rest well, what of your father?” Jurot asked.

Jirot blinked. “I am going to beat him up, but if you are causing big trouble for the workers, I will tell babo, and babo will beat you up, because you cannot bully the workers, you have all the power, so you cannot, it is not nice.”

“Okay,” Jurot said, reaching down to ruffle the girl’s hair. “Since my niece has spoken the words, you may rest for today.”

‘Little Boss,’ Theo thought, his heart pounding so violently within his chest, he was afraid it might explode. ‘You are the greatest blessing in my life!’

‘You have always been my favourite, Little Boss,’ Thomas thought.

‘In a thousand years, I will die for you a thousand times,’ Aria thought.

Esther hadn’t quite understood the difference between herself and the Iyrman, but over the last week or so, Jurot had fought them all, one by one, unarmed, unarmoured, as they all had been, and yet, even though they had outnumbered him ten to one, they had only managed to make him work up a sweat.

Yet, this little girl, had managed to defeat the wall known as Jurot immediately.

“Mister Iron John, come,” the girl called, reaching out a hand. Her father had warned her to be careful around the businessfolk, but he said she could speak with John a little, since he had travelled with her father for a short while, and understood the consequences of daring to think poorly of his daughter. “If my papo is bullying you, you tell me, and I will sort him out, okay?”

“Okay,” John said, standing up, wiping his sweaty hands against himself.

“Wow! You are all so sweaty! Good work! You must all go bathe now, and I will tell ahm Korin to make you delicious food.” The girl gave them a thumbs up and then sauntered off to find her ahm, little Jarot following after her.

‘I see,’ John thought, understanding this was the Jirot the Executive had spoken of. If she had been born looking different, someone that looked like himself, she would not only have few worries in the world, but she would perhaps dominate it.

Uli, too, understood, for Jirot was Jirot. However, he also saw the way everything was so similar, yet so different, to how he had grown up. He noted how the children were all raised together, taught by the Iyr, for now, and trained by the various elders of the business, from Fred and Jonn, to even the likes of Dunes and Korin, though they were Aswadian. The children here were at the age where they would be trained in general education, whereas within the various Orders, by this time they may have been adopted by a faris.

As Uli considered all he had seen, remaining beside Adam almost at all times, and all he had heard, from their journey, from his stay here, surrounded by so many of his family, he understood.

‘Mustashalur, Amira, unless the heavens are falling, we must never aggravate the United Kindom.’

If it was just Adam alone, he would not have thought such, for a singular figure could be forced away, could be dealt with. If it was the United Kindom without Adam, he would not have thought as such, though they would need to be careful. However, with Adam, with all those around him, with his estimations, even the most conservative estimations, this was a force that would rock the ship known as the twenty first century.

Lani decided against thinking too deeply, instead spending her days training, especially since Uli was around. She trained opposite her brother, who sparred with her daily, mostly bullying her, but she also sparred with a great many Iyrmen who were excited to spar with the Sword of the Lady. The elder generation wished for it, but they knew shame, so allowed only the youth to face against her, but they did not wield such a fine magical weapon, out of respect.

Though Adam typically worked on a particular day, since it was the ninth of the tenth, he did not.

The tiny red skinned girl was adorned in red, not quite as vibrant as her own skin, with yellow trim. She sat beside her mother, tearing off the scarf, far too uncomfortable for her head.

“…” Dunes held Adam’s gaze, the half elf in utter shock.

“Dunes!”

“We cut her hair and pay her its weight in silver,” Dunes replied.

“Oh, yeah,” the half elf replied, fairly certain Ranya’s first birthday had gone similarly.

Enisa gripped onto her mother’s shoulder, glancing back over her own to her ahm, squealing with delight.

Adam smiled, reaching over to pinch her cheeks lightly. “Enisa, did your father say happy birthday already?”

“Aba!” The girl sucked on her hand while looking up towards her father, shyly drawing away to her mother’s bosom.

“Hoi hoi hoi,” Jirot said, reaching up to cover her face. “My kaza is too cute, too cute.”

“Jirot, we must steal her away.”

“We cannot steal, it is not good,” the girl said, though she looked to Enisa, who held her gaze, then squealed and hid her face into her mother’s bosom. “We cannot?”

‘If I push her a little more, we might actually be able to steal her away,’ the half elf thought, except…

Dunes held Adam’s gaze for a long moment, as though threatening him.

“You! Since you won’t let me steal your daughter, then you have no problem with me handing over this then, right?” Adam asked, holding out the silver token of the United Kindom, except it was more intricately engraved.

“How could I deny it?” Dunes replied, smiling.

Adam managed to pluck the girl away from her mother, rubbing her cheek against the girl’s. He noted the older Aswadian in the corner, the old man enjoying the feast, but since he was happy enough to see his granddaughter’s birthday, he supposed he shouldn’t tease the old man too much.

Enisa’s world, so big it was, showered her in affection. The Iyrmen had gathered too, for she was no stranger of the Mir family, and the businessfolk, though eager to enjoy the feast the Aswadians had paid for, were no strangers either.

“Dunes, shouldn’t it be-,”

“That is too expensive.”

“You didn’t even know what I was going to say.”

“You were going to say it should be her weight in sil-,” Dunes began, pausing for a moment. “Gold.”

Adam’s smirk dropped, the half elf’s gaze falling to the floor, having been called out instantly. ‘Isn’t this just bullying at this point?’

“Enisa, you are my kaza, like my kaka, so if someone is bullying you, you must tell me,” Jirot said, kissing the top of the girl’s head, causing Enisa to squeal.

“Yes,” Konarot said, reaching up to brush the girl’s cheek. “You are too young, but you cannot forget.”

“Cannot forget,” Kirot confirmed.

“Cannot,” Karot added.

‘What wonderful nieces and nephews I have,’ Dunes thought.

“What wonderful nieces and nephews I have,” Amira said, beaming down to them all.

“Ranya, you have to…” Adam began, only to see the girl’s lower face was covered in cake, the girl licking her fingers. ‘…’

When it was time to take his children to study, the half elf considered taking the day off, but he had already teased his daughter by taking the day off previously, and there was so much work to be done.

‘I’ll just use it as an excuse to tease the girl more.’

Dunes held his daughter within his arms later, the one year old girl cuddling up to his chest. Though she sometimes teased him by choosing Adam, it was his lap she was most comfortable within. He thought of Black Mountain, and how, though devilkin were not exactly oppressed, there was still an awkwardness, and yet, in this business, but a few years older than his daughters, with a fool of a half elf in charge, his daughters knew greater warmth and adoration, even if some of the workers were still a little awkward about her. They were less awkward about his children, with their red skin and horns, than a particular trio, one who held a similar appearance, but without horns, defining him as a member of such a sinful people.

Thankfully, his daughter was the niece of the Crazy Father, and the boy, his son.

Enisa glanced upwards towards her father, the girl stopped sucking on her thumb to smile towards her father, who smiled in return, and she shifted slightly, hiding her face within his chest, clutching at his shirt with his free hand, her fingers exploring the fabric, and her father’s muscles beneath.

Dunes’ heart ached lightly, but he smiled, hugging his youngest daughter closer, allowing her to freeze against how heavy his heart pounded within his chest, the girl’s eyes wide slightly as she felt the rhythm of his pure love for her against her cheek.