Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

Malfev considered how, though he was quite powerful, to face a Rage Dancer in battle was quite difficult. It would be best to leave it to another, for though he could clash with the likes of Mad Dog and Duteos Dogek, his greatest strength did not lay within his ability to fight, but in his various other abilities, especially those in relationship to swiftness. The swiftness of the Fev and Ool allowed them to appear where they were needed, it allowed them to strike an enemy rapidly, and retreat after a round of striking so viciously, allowing them to soften a foe for the likes of the Rot and Gek families.

“Babo?” Jirot called, returning the old man back to the real world, realising it had been enough time to call for his attention.

The old man let out a soft sigh, smiling. “Even those below the Grandmasters, those of the Mithril Warriors, there are the Silver Warriors, those who are slightly greater than Masters, who are numerous within the Iyr. Do you know of someone who falls into this category, greater than a Master, not yet a Grandmaster.”

“Nano,” Jirot said confidently. 

“Which nano?”

“In my heart there are many nano,” the girl replied, reaching up to her heart as though to clutch it. “Babo’s sister.”

“Whose sister?”

“Babo, your sister!” Jirot huffed, pointing at the old man, who was acting like… “Old geezer, babo.”

Malfev reached up to hide his smile, thankfully his beard assisted in such a difficult task. “Indeed, my sister is among these warriors. There are others too, like your nano Zirot, who is considered a step above your nano.”

“I know!” Jirot said excitedly. “Nano Kamool is Silver Warrior too, and, mm, mm…” 

Malfev wondered why she was currently struggle to think, only to realise which family she was thinking about. He allowed the girl the time to think, since when it came to that family, it was best not to interrupt her, for there was only one family which could dare suggest they adored the twins more than even the Rot family. 

“Ock!” The girl held out her hand, opening and closing in as she finally gained the strand of her thought. “Nano! Pretty nano who gives me the red sweets.”

“Jigak?”

“No, it is, mmm, nano’s little brother, he left in the Year of Silence, his wife? Oh! Nano Lamagak! Nano Lamagak is Silver Warrior!”

“Lamagak is just a Master.”

“No! Nano tell me! Nano say it, nano can close her eyes, and she can poke my cheek when I am sneaking!” Jirot replied. 

‘Did she finally learn such an ability,’ Malfev thought. “It was recently?”

“Yes! I come back and nano come see us and she said she missed us so much and she gave us so many sweets,” the girl informed her babo, her voice lowering slightly. “So many sweets…”

Malfev narrowed his eyes slightly towards Jirot, who knew so much of the Iyr’s goings, though it made sense, since she loved to see all her babos and nanos. From all the children, Jirot and Jarot, though always in the arms of the Mad Dog, were the children who spent the most time with all their babos and nanos. It made sense, since Jirot always remembered so much about them, and would even go on to read their tales and speak of them once they met once more. 

‘Jirot…’

“Babo, I will give you some sweets after,” Jirot said, rushing up to her greatuncle, squeezing his hand, quickly returning back to her place, Jarot following after. 

Malfev smiled wide, his beard shifting, reaching up to his eyes. Jirot was, like her siblings, a bundle of joy. Even though she was so troublesome, out of all the children, her, and her siblings, they were the ones who always considered their babos and nanos feelings, spoiling them in return. 

“Then, beneath the Silver Warriors, there are the Masters. Can you name any Masters?”

“Yes!” Jirot said, though she paused as Malfev clapped his hands, following after him. 

“One at a time, starting with Konarot.”

“Daddy?” Konarot replied, since he was officially a Master, even though he was so much stronger. 

“Yes, though your father is special,” Malfev replied. “Who else? Kirot?”

“Kako Kitool.”

“Papo Jurot,” Karot said.

“Kako Jaygak!” Jirot almost declared, then she turned to look towards Jarot, who was going to mention Jaygak. 

Jarot blinked, considering who else was a Master. He thought about his kakos and papos, but he was pretty sure… “Kako Lucy?”

“Aha, Lucy is a Master, but can you name any Iyrman? They do not have to be your kako or your papo.”

“Oh!” Jarot replied. “Mmm! Baba!”

“Which baba.”

“Baba Gorot.”

Malfev was about to decline, though he paused, realising Gorot, who was well known as an Expert throughout the Iyr, was actually a Master now, having managed to earn such strength quietly, to the point only a handful of figures had known. “You are right. There are many others too, like babo Kamrot. Even your…”

The children waited while Malfev considered his words, though he realised technically he was wrong, for their grandfather, Tarot, who was now missing, wasn’t a Master, he was in the ranks of the Silver Warriors, perhaps?

“There are many within the Iyr who hold the title of Master, and below them are the Steel Warriors, though some are also Masters for their own matters, and then below them there are the Bronze Warriors, many of whom have reached the rank of Expert. An Expert is considered quite powerful, even across Aldland and Aswadasad, one can live a life of privilege and luxury with such strength, there are those who become Captains or Mulazims. Indeed, even a commoner who reaches the rank of Expert is afforded great privileges, though in the Iyr, you do not worry so.”

At his words, tails swayed joyfully, and amber eyes glistened, and the old man’s heart shook due to how adorable the children were. They did not understand it yet, but it was this feeling which had raised him to become someone who could count himself among the Mithril Warriors. 

No. 

Of all the children, perhaps it was these children who understood it. 

“You must understand, we are the Iyr, and this is what it means to live within the Iyr, to be an Iyrman, to enjoy the privilege of the word,” Malfev said, and though he wished to say more, he did not need to speak of the matter to Jirot and Jarot, who understood, especially after what happened last year. He clapped his hands, the children clapping their hands in response.

The old man then began the play, beginning with a walk, as he spoke a short tale of his own to the children, who listened intently to his words. After they walked a few laps, he sped up slightly, the children beginning to jog after him, until finally they had warmed up. 

“I want you to listen carefully to my instructions,” Malfev called as they finished their light stretching. “We will play a game where you must listen to my instructions. When I jump, you will jump, but if I speak the name of a bird, you must squat, and not jump.”

“Okay!”

He hopped upwards lightly, the children jumping with varying degrees of fervour, though after a light chuckle, he made sure they only hopped lightly. He continued to hop, sometimes raising his brows as though to speak the name of a bird, but he did not, causing Jirot to cackle, and Jarot cackled after her. 

“Chicken!” the old man said, lightly bending at his knees to hop, but the children fell into a squat. “Well done! You are all so good at listening!”

“Kekeke!” Jirot cackled. 

They continued, the old man raising his brows, and this time he called out a bluetit, except he hopped into the air, the children following after him. “Oh? I said the name of a bird but you did not squat?”

The children blinked. 

“Babo! You jumped too!” Jirot accused.

“I did, but you are meant to listen to my instructions, yes?”

“Huu!” Jirot huffed, clenching her fists, pouting, but she readied herself. 

They continued to hop, and this time, Malfev called out for a tiger as he squatted, causing all the children to squat, but then Konarot leapt up. “You still squatted, my dear, but you did well to jump after.”

Konarot flushed lightly, her tail swaying lightly behind her. 

“Babo!” Jirot complained. “You are tricking us!”

“I am?”

“Yes!”

“Are my instructions unclear? You must jump unless you hear the name of a bird, then you must squat, but is this too difficult, my Jirot?”

Jirot flushed, clenching her fists. “Baby! You! You!”

“Yes?” Malfev smiled, beaming down at the girl. 

“Just this once, I am going to forgive you, babo,” the girl said, pouting.

The old man chuckled, smiling wide, reaching down to brush her hair. “I am so fortunate you show me such mercy, my Jirot.”

“You are so fortunate you are my nano’s brother, otherwise I will bully you so hard, you will cry to my daddy,” the girl warned, though her eyes twinkled with playfulness, her pursed lips trying to remain still so she didn’t smile. 

PATREON LINK

On this chapter, I can wish you a Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays.