Omen: 1, 17

  “Papa!” Lanarot squealed as she stomped her way towards Jurot and Adam.

  “You hug her first,” Adam said. “I’ll be huggihe lo.”

  Jurot did not o be told twice, lifting his sister up within his arms. She babbled up at him excitedly, before she slowly melted against him, quietening down as she hugged him, sug ohumb.

  Sonarot smiled towards the group, but there was a hint of fusion within her eyes. She hadn’t expected the group back so quickly, but she also hadn’t been informed they were returning.

  Adam watched as the children swarmed their siblings and cousins, before they all embraced one another. Jaygak picked Raygak up, hugging him tight. Raygak gnced around, w what was happening, but he embraced his sister equally as tight. Kitool picked Katool up, pinning the girl to her side. His eyes fell to the side for a moment, noting seven bundles, before Turot distracted him.

  “Wele back, Cousin Adam,” Turot said, smiling up at Adam.

  “Who is this handsome young man?” Adam asked. “Is it perhaps my Cousin Turot?” Turot smirked slightly, before Adam ruffled his hair. “Have you been good?”

  “Yes.”

  “Siurot always speaks the truth, I feel at ease.”

  The boy smiled once more. Nirot narrowed her eyes, before Turot quickly rushed to her side, and stared up at her with a smile. She smiled and ruffled his hair, before the pair embraced.

  “Wele home, sister.”

  “I have retururot.”

  Nirot picked the boy up and spun him around once, before letting him down. As much as she had wished food death, she was gd to have returned bae.

  Jurot eventually gave Lanarot up to Adam, who lifted her up. “Who is this smelly girl?” Adam asked, causing Lanarot to cackle and cp. Adam hugged her tight, feeling how heavy she had bee. Her hot cheek pressed against his, his firailed through her hair. He closed his eyes, and though his ay spiked, relief washed over him soon after. “Did you miss papa?”

  “Papa,” the girl said, half hugging him as he held her.

  Adam grit his teeth for a moment, and pulled his head back. He could feel the ay e and attack him once more. “Didn’t I tell you not to grow up too quickly? You silly girl.” He kissed her forehead, and tio brush her hair. He could feel a tear threaten to slip out from the er of his eye, but he fought it away.

  The adult Iyrmen gnced between the Iyrmen who had returned, including the teens who had returned, each of them embrag their siblings far more intimately than usual. They could feel it. There was something strange about them, and it wasn’t just Adam, but a different sort of strangeness which g to them all.

  Adam’s panions watched the se awkwardly, but allowed the Iyrmeime.

  “Ah,” Adam said, before motioning a hand. “Everyohis is Mara, Lucy’s friend.”

  “I am Her Grace’s maid,” Mara said, pg her hands crossed over her stomach before bowing at a particur angle.

  “Wele,” Sonarot said, bowing her head iurn. “It is good to see you are well.”

  “It was all thanks to the wonderful paniohat I was able to return safely.”

  “Demon?” Taygak asked, staring up at Mara suspiciously.

  “Yes, I am,” Mara said. “You must be Taygak?”

  “Yes,” the girl replied, standing up straighter, g her fists. “Taygak, daughter of Kaygak.”

  “Your cousin, Jaygak, is such a powerful Iyrman, and I am sure you will be such a powerful Iyrman too.”

  “Yes,” Taygak said, sn happily. “Strong.”

  “I am gd that I will be protected by such a strong Iyrman.”

  Taygak nodded her head, smiling wide at the Demon. Adam and Lucy stared at Mara, shocked that she had mao deal with Taygak so quickly.

  ‘That’s my Mara,’ Lucy thought. She, who had given up so much for Taygak to finally accept her, was gd that Mara was able to assist.

  ‘Damn,’ Adam thought. ‘How scary.’

  “It is good to see you all,” Sonarot said, greeting the rest of Adam’s panions, before inviting them all to eat with the group.

  The children, ohey were doh the greetings, quickly formed a line. Adam smiled, opening the saddlebags, before taking out small tris. Strips of cloth, tiny scales made of metal, bits of pottery and more. The children all accepted the various tris from the returning group, including from Adam’s panions.

  Adam could feel his heart squeeze, smiling as he watched the children all accept their gifts. ‘My Cousins are the cutest, I’m so gd I didn’t die.’ His eyes fell to the other bundles, which were ying beside one another. One bundle was rger thahers, and Adam stared down at him.

  “That’s a big boy,” Adam said, staring into the boy’s eyes, who stared up at him in shobsp;

  “He is well built,” Jurot said, nodding his head. “He is a Rot.”

  The seven bundled were tiny babies, eaall. Some of them were awake, eyes full of fusion as they gnced around the new figures. The boy was the biggest, however, by a noticeable amount.

  “Your eyes are always so keen,” Sonarot said, smiling. “He is sister’s son.”

  “My eyes are pretty good too,” Adam said. “I’m certain that these two cuties are Gaks.”

  For once, Jurot’s brows furrowed, almost taken aback by Adam’s sheer audacity.

  “What are their names?” Adam asked, quickly moving the versation along so no one would call him out.

  “Gurot, Kavgak, Tavgak, Inakan, Minakan, Jitool, and Maool.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes at the two Devilkin girls. ‘Kavgak and Tavgak? Whie is Jaygak’s sister and whie is Taygak’s sister then?’

  Eventually the group gathered towards the fire, the babies ying down nearby, with at least one Iyrman keeping an eye on them.

  “You have returned back so quickly?” Sonarot asked.

  “Yeah, I’m not sure about that,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. “We were meant to stay in the Front Iyr for a week, but Elder Lykan told us to return a little quicker.”

  That was o the Iyrmen. “We expected you to return during nightval, or the year after.”

  “Oh.” Adam shared a gh the others.

  “Nirot will speak the tale,” Jurot said.

  The other Iyrmen teens heir heads, allowing Nirot to speak the tale to the others. The adult Iyrmen threw gnces between one another, w why everything was so weird.

  Nirot begaale, speaking of what had happened on their jourhey had started out quite well, meeting Strom on their way to Red Oak. As the tale tihe Iyrmen uood what had happened.

  The illusion of Adam had shattered.

  “That was quite the story,” Sonarot said.

  “You did well,” Mirot said, before brushing her daughter’s hair. She wasn’t sure if she should mention the fact that a good death was denied for her daughter, but she decided against it. Nirot had done well, sidering she was willing to die for her brift.

  Turot’s lips were twitg into a smile, but he he heavy looks on the adults’ faces.

  “I’m gd we returned in one piece,” Adam said, quickly gng towards Lucy. “We got to see our adorable Cousins, even though I pletely fot t them gifts.”

  “You have all doo return,” Shikan said, being one of the only ones who had lost a child to adventure. “Such a great warrior is rare to face. It is a great honour that you had faced him and survived.”

  “If he wanted us dead, we’d have been dead,” Adam said. “That guy was one hell of a monster.”

  “If he knows Lord Strom, then there is no doubt he was strong,” Sonarot said.

  “Strom’s looking pretty siowadays, though…” Adam tickled Lanarot’s head, causio twitd look up at him. “You’re so big ahy though, aren’t you?”

  “Iz puz bee?” Lanarot said.

  “Lanarot, you ’t say that,” Adam said, tig her nose. “It’s all your fault. If you were watg me and supp me, I would have beaten him.”

  Lanarot smiled and sucked her thumb, resting her head against his chest.

  “I don’t really know what we’re going to be doing for the rest of the year,” Adam admitted. “I wao help Dunes with his problem but…” Adam felt a ess wash over his babsp;

  “I have sent word through the Guild to my Order about the matter,” Dunes said. “They may dispate panions who assist us.”

  “I should just ent until I bee a Paragon,” Adam said, causing the others to throw him queer looks. “No, that’d take too long. A Master, maybe?”

  The others decided to leave Adam’s ent be, uanding it was just Adam being Adam. They all prepared to go to sleep, making their way into their homes, though some of them set up to sleep outside that evening. Adam took Lanarot outside, wanting to sleep uhe stars sihe day would be clear.

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  Oh how I've missed you Lanababy. New Cousins to dote on too?