Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

The boy finished writing down the last of the alphabet, letting out a long sigh, for he had worked hard in copying the script. He had already finished learning the sounds, for many of the letters, speaking them aloud as he wrote within his book. He turned to find his sister still writing, furrowing his brows lightly, for she was swifter with the stylus than he, and swifter in learning, but he waited, not long, as the girl finished.

“You are all studying well,” Dunes said, beaming towards the children of the business, though it was Sara who was guiding the twins more personally, especially the little girl, who was so eager to talk the ear off even a brass dragon.

“You are teaching so well,” Jirot replied, reaching over with a gentle hand, patting her ahm’s hand gently. “Aila, you are so good are teaching too.”

“Thank you,” Sara replied, smiling tenderly towards the pair, causing the girl to flush and smile shyly in return.

“Shall we walk to the estate together?” Dunes offered, while the girl packed away her stylus and her book.

“We are going to greet the children,” Jirot replied, hopping off her chair, holding out her hand for her brother, leading him away.

‘She has already learnt so much,’ Dunes thought, considering what he would need to teach for their next lesson. He would need to check the work of the other children first, who followed the twins, while considering the evening studying for little Jarot, who was not quite as adept as Jirot in this regard. Dunes glanced aside, towards the crisp apple Jarot had gifted to him. ‘What an adorable nephew I have.’

“Oh my, oh my,” Jirot said, the girl clasping her hands behind her back, sauntering into the estate, her eyes darting about, as though checking upon the businessfolk and to see if they were working hard at their rest. She greeted them as she circled the groups. “Working hard, or hardly working?”

“Hardly working,” the elderly Gimon replied with a gentle smile. “I am so blessed.”

Jirot side eyed the old man, but nodded her head gently, going about to greet everyone else. She pretended as though she wasn’t there to spoil a particular set of triplets, the girl reaching up to her face, brushing her hair lightly.

“They are eating so well,” the girl said approvingly, her head bouncing lightly, peeking at the children.

“So well,” Jarot confirmed, squeezing his sister’s hand gently, an awkwardness filling his stomach.

“Jarot,” Faool whispered, dropping to a knee beside the boy, wiping the corner of the boy’s lip with his sleeve, as though there was something

“…” John stared at the two, who remained a comfortable distance away, while his triplets were eating their midday snack. If they wanted to step forward, he’d be unable to deny them, he was certain of that. Thankfully, the pair could feel the awkwardness, and remained watching the triplets from nearby.

Jirot glanced up towards John, noting his look, the awkward neutralness that was almost like her papo. She inhaled deeply with the understanding these things needed to take time, letting the fellow go, her eyes darting about to the rest of the businessfolk. Now that she had shown her face, the girl smiled, waving at the businessfolk, and made her way away, for her father had told her to show her face often so they could get used to her, the newcomers, for those who had joined years ago, they were familiar and comfortable with her presence.

Weren’t they?

Vonda dipped her brush into the water, cleaning the paint off the brush, placing it down onto the towel to dry it. She signed the painting with her name and the date, admiring the beautiful blade she drew, smiling. It was not the first blade she had made, and it wouldn’t be the last. She considered which colour scheme she preferred, silver and gold, silver and blue, or silver and red. The Ray considered what other colours would work well with silver, with each style of blade.

Pam stared at the basket, her eyes looking at her youngest daughter, but she saw nothing in particular, lost within her daydreams. She was still tired from watching over the girl, though was thankful so many Iyrmen were watching over her, some of the young adults keeping an eye on the girl in the night, so if she cried, they would deal with the girl’s needs.

Pam snapped to attention as the metal leg struck the earth, causing Pamarot to twitch and jerk at the sound.

“You should take a walk,” the old Jarot said, reaching over to rub the woman’s head tenderly. “If you do not, you will tire easily.”

“I should,” the woman replied awkwardly, feeling his rough hand atop her head. The old Mad Dog was known as a nightmare, and though she had seen flashes of the one known as the Mad Dog, the figure who had slaughtered his way through Aldland. Except, the Mad Dog she knew was so much…

Pam recalled how many times Jarot had threatened other Iyrmen, and even caused some of his friends to calm him down before he cut someone’s neck, for the sake of his family. She even recalled the time Jirot had requested his assistance in dealing with someone, the girl having no idea how much power she was wielding in the form of the crippled, yet violent, old man.

Pam walked through the Front Iyr, without any of her children, taking the rare moment alone for what it was. The Iyrmen, typically so terrifying, often bowed their heads towards her, some smiling warmly. There were a few she sometimes spoke with, but she remained closer with the family of her husband, the extended family, and the extended Iyrmen close to them, as well as the Ray.

Fred bowed his head towards Pam as she walked by, the young man having finished his bath after his second workout, since he couldn’t just allow John to outwork him. Though Fred had been within the business first, the knowledge that John was personally plucked by the young half elf, very different to his own relationship with the half elf.

Fred’s feelings remained conflicted. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to reach the heights the half elf had offered, although he was inclined to move towards Master.

A Master was good enough, wasn’t it?

Lani considered how powerful a typical Master was. Adam had promised to assist her to that height, which would take a decade at least, even for those talented, though apparently Adam and his cohort had managed it in half the time, although to consider Adam just a Master…

Elif remained sitting nearby. ‘Aren’t I meant to train?’

While the Iyr smelled so earthly, the snow threatening to fall later in the evening, a particular port city enjoyed it’s own chill, the chill that would soon be well known within the city.

“Darling, I…” Tamil began, though smiled awkwardly, noting the way his wife was glaring at him so. He carefully closed his book and shuffled into a nearby shadow.

“As you can see, Mo, our family has quite the library, and should you require books to peruse or to purchase, and for a guest such as yourself, you may even peruse and procure a book from the first floor.”

Adam did the maths in his head, for though he was a Brit, sometimes he’d forget the first floor was called the ground floor. So she meant the… second floor?

“Thank you kindly, akawat.” The half elf beamed brightly towards the woman, his eyes darting around the library. “Tamil, was it? I see you seem to be quite interested in books, would you mind if I asked for your support?”

Tamil had no idea who this young man was, but seeing as his wife was treating him with great respect, he adjusted his glasses lightly and smiled nervously. “Of course, Mo.”

“In terms of payment, is silver and gold fine enough, or do you wish to procure any magical weapons?” Adam began, though paused as the woman perked up quickly.

“We may discuss payment once you are ready, Mo, and I will be sure to prepare the tea,” Aliya replied, smiling innocently.

“Of course.”

‘Magical weapons?’ Tamil thought, adjusting his glasses once more, his eyes darting between the pair. He presumed that was why his wife was so interested in this figure, although judging by the half elf’s physique, he noted he was quite the strong fellow, and not just that, but the obsidian amulet on his chest…

An obsidian amulet with the symbol of Baktu?

That tattoo, which was similar to the nearby Iyrman’s, but different…

Tamil’s heart began to pound wildly within his chest, feel the chilly sweat run through to his shalwar. As he held Adam within his gaze, he realised quickly just how far the half elf’s shadow cast. The shadow which was long, dark, and full of an oppressive aura that weighed heavily upon Tamil.

‘Who have you brought, darling?’

PATREON LINK

I need to cut to the Iyr more often.