Givontair:
For the plan that Elias came up with, we will need to face Ajax somewhere, where he can't fight all that well. The forested area is out of the question. The grasslands are not optimal, either. Yet, they are more sparsely populated.
My only concern is, what will happen to Erik. We can't bring him with us. It is too dangerous.
"I can stay alone for a couple of days," Erik protests, for the tenth time. I shake my head, just like I did all the other times.
"If we are to fail, then Ajax will come in here next," I tell the boy. "There is only one place, where even he fears to thread."
Nathaniel begins to shake his head.
"You don't mean Khuzd in the grasslands, do you? People disappear from there all the time," I could do without the reminder. Khuzd is the main worship site of the Dread. All those who were admitted there, get to enjoy the safety the strong deity provides.
"I am not convinced that the Dread will just let us drop him off. You did cost the being a champion," Norrix says. It is the truth, too. Yet, I can tell that the Dread wants Sorix back under his control. If we are to have Erik move in the village under the pretense of being protected by a Dread Lord, then the locals will look after him.
"Well, I want to hunt down Ajax as soon as possible. I say, if Sorix would simply adopt Erik, then there won't be a problem," Elias says. Out of all of us, he is the most eager for a fight. Sorix wraps an arm around my middle. I raise an eyebrow at that, to which he only smirks.
"I don't do things halfway," he says, amusement dancing into his eyes. His brown eyes lock on Erik, and his smirk softens into a smile. "Kiddo, do you want to put your guardians through a vote? All in favor of a three-way wedding, rise your hands!"
I take a hold of Sorix's hand, and remove it from myself.
"I am not even ready to marry Nate, and he is my soulmate," I tell the insufferable git. "If you do this, it better be from the goodness of your heart."
"Hello, Dread Lord here," Sorix tells me, as if I should be making conclusions based on that alone.
"That doesn't make you any less human. I know that there are many levels between us in power, but you are still human," Nathaniel says. Sorix sighs.
"Fine, fine. I'll adopt the kid. But, can you two do the same? There is no law, which states that more than one person can't adopt someone," Sorix seems to be grasping at straws. Yet, I like the fact that he is not hell-bent on arguing.
Erik looks between us, and then frowns.
"I don't want to be baggage that you all pass over," his words sting. Just when did we make him feel like this? His eyes are watery. I go, and hug him. He doesn't let out so much as a sob, but his grip on me is firm.
"You are not, and have never been, baggage. We don't want to get rid of you. What we do want, is to guarantee your future," I tell my son in all the ways it matters. His grip tightens on my trench coat.
"Do you promise that I am not a burden?" Erik's voice is barely above a whisper. If I didn't have enchanted hearing, then I would have missed it.
"I promise. I'd give you a blood oath, but you are a bit too young for those," I move, so I stare into his face. The boy has so much hope in those green eyes of his, that he looks breakable.
"I can't promise that Elias and Norrix will stick around, after the battle with Ajax. But I know for a fact, that neither Nate nor Sorix are going anywhere. You tie us together with a sure knot. I can't imagine a life, in which I won't get to wake you up, so you can go to school. Or making one less portion for our meals," I tell him, trying to convey with my words what my instincts are telling me.
Nathaniel comes to us, and kneels beside us.
"For you, I am even willing to agree to an open relationship," the dragon slayer says. Sorix claps his hands.
"Well, kiddo, the ritual is basic. Have you ever heard of stamps?" He takes out a signet ring, and opens the first compartment. There is a needle there.
"A bit of blood, and you will be adopted," I assure Erik. He looks first at me, then at Sorix.
"Can you two also adopt me like that?" He asks, his voice still sounding small and unsure. "I don't want to lose you."
"We are a family," Nathaniel says. "But if it makes you feel better, then we will also adopt you."
Erik finally let's go of me, and goes towards Sorix. He holds up his hand. Sorix pricks the boy's finger, and then his own. The two hold their wounds next to each other, and the black mana that always hums around Sorix, reaches out to the green one of Erik.
They seem to have a difficulty merging. That is to be expected. Erik is a champion of a nature deity, while Sorix is the complete opposite. When neither of them ends up hurt, Sorix takes his hand off Erik. He smiles, and then uses his mana to close his own wound.
"Now, it is your turn," Erik says. His finger lets out a small stream of blood. No more than a droplet every minute. It might close on its own. I don't want him to lose more blood than he has to. So, I go, and take the signet ring from Sorix.
My mana has a much easier time mixing in with Erik's. While Nate's latches on the nature mana of the boy, and seeps in him so quickly, I wonder if Nate won't suffer from mana exhaustion after this.
After I close the small pinprick on Erik's finger, he smiles, and then hugs my legs. I ruffle his hair, and let him be the first to let go. After everything he has been through, he deserves some comfort.
Givontair:
For the plan that Elias came up with, we will need to face Ajax somewhere, where he can't fight all that well. The forested area is out of the question. The grasslands are not optimal, either. Yet, they are more sparsely populated.
My only concern is, what will happen to Erik. We can't bring him with us. It is too dangerous.
"I can stay alone for a couple of days," Erik protests, for the tenth time. I shake my head, just like I did all the other times.
"If we are to fail, then Ajax will come in here next," I tell the boy. "There is only one place, where even he fears to thread."
Nathaniel begins to shake his head.
"You don't mean Khuzd in the grasslands, do you? People disappear from there all the time," I could do without the reminder. Khuzd is the main worship site of the Dread. All those who were admitted there, get to enjoy the safety the strong deity provides.
"I am not convinced that the Dread will just let us drop him off. You did cost the being a champion," Norrix says. It is the truth, too. Yet, I can tell that the Dread wants Sorix back under his control. If we are to have Erik move in the village under the pretense of being protected by a Dread Lord, then the locals will look after him.
"Well, I want to hunt down Ajax as soon as possible. I say, if Sorix would simply adopt Erik, then there won't be a problem," Elias says. Out of all of us, he is the most eager for a fight. Sorix wraps an arm around my middle. I raise an eyebrow at that, to which he only smirks.
"I don't do things halfway," he says, amusement dancing into his eyes. His brown eyes lock on Erik, and his smirk softens into a smile. "Kiddo, do you want to put your guardians through a vote? All in favor of a three-way wedding, rise your hands!"
I take a hold of Sorix's hand, and remove it from myself.
"I am not even ready to marry Nate, and he is my soulmate," I tell the insufferable git. "If you do this, it better be from the goodness of your heart."
"Hello, Dread Lord here," Sorix tells me, as if I should be making conclusions based on that alone.
"That doesn't make you any less human. I know that there are many levels between us in power, but you are still human," Nathaniel says. Sorix sighs.
"Fine, fine. I'll adopt the kid. But, can you two do the same? There is no law, which states that more than one person can't adopt someone," Sorix seems to be grasping at straws. Yet, I like the fact that he is not hell-bent on arguing.
Erik looks between us, and then frowns.
"I don't want to be baggage that you all pass over," his words sting. Just when did we make him feel like this? His eyes are watery. I go, and hug him. He doesn't let out so much as a sob, but his grip on me is firm.
"You are not, and have never been, baggage. We don't want to get rid of you. What we do want, is to guarantee your future," I tell my son in all the ways it matters. His grip tightens on my trench coat.
"Do you promise that I am not a burden?" Erik's voice is barely above a whisper. If I didn't have enchanted hearing, then I would have missed it.
"I promise. I'd give you a blood oath, but you are a bit too young for those," I move, so I stare into his face. The boy has so much hope in those green eyes of his, that he looks breakable.
"I can't promise that Elias and Norrix will stick around, after the battle with Ajax. But I know for a fact, that neither Nate nor Sorix are going anywhere. You tie us together with a sure knot. I can't imagine a life, in which I won't get to wake you up, so you can go to school. Or making one less portion for our meals," I tell him, trying to convey with my words what my instincts are telling me.
Nathaniel comes to us, and kneels beside us.
"For you, I am even willing to agree to an open relationship," the dragon slayer says. Sorix claps his hands.
"Well, kiddo, the ritual is basic. Have you ever heard of stamps?" He takes out a signet ring, and opens the first compartment. There is a needle there.
"A bit of blood, and you will be adopted," I assure Erik. He looks first at me, then at Sorix.
"Can you two also adopt me like that?" He asks, his voice still sounding small and unsure. "I don't want to lose you."
"We are a family," Nathaniel says. "But if it makes you feel better, then we will also adopt you."
Erik finally let's go of me, and goes towards Sorix. He holds up his hand. Sorix pricks the boy's finger, and then his own. The two hold their wounds next to each other, and the black mana that always hums around Sorix, reaches out to the green one of Erik.
They seem to have a difficulty merging. That is to be expected. Erik is a champion of a nature deity, while Sorix is the complete opposite. When neither of them ends up hurt, Sorix takes his hand off Erik. He smiles, and then uses his mana to close his own wound.
"Now, it is your turn," Erik says. His finger lets out a small stream of blood. No more than a droplet every minute. It might close on its own. I don't want him to lose more blood than he has to. So, I go, and take the signet ring from Sorix.
My mana has a much easier time mixing in with Erik's. While Nate's latches on the nature mana of the boy, and seeps in him so quickly, I wonder if Nate won't suffer from mana exhaustion after this.
After I close the small pinprick on Erik's finger, he smiles, and then hugs my legs. I ruffle his hair, and let him be the first to let go. After everything he has been through, he deserves some comfort.
