Omen: 12, 19

“Are you okay?” Adam asked.

Strom slowly bowed his head. “I am fine.”

Strom had been such an imposing figure when Adam first met him, but he was so much thinner now. Adam wondered if the old man was wasting away on purpose, though he quickly pushed the thoughts out of his mind.

“Make sure you eat a lot.”

“I will,” Strom assured.

Adam looked down to the children, who were all preparing to head to the stream. Lanarot stood beside Turot, who held her hand. “Alright. Why don’t you come with us?”

Strom nodded. He had come this morning to spend time with Lanarot, but seeing as she was going to play with the other children that day, Strom decided to accept Adam’s offer.

The children led the pair forward towards one of the nearby streams, all the while there were a large number of half naked Iyrmen enjoying the festival. Adam wasn’t sure how he felt about how they were so eager to show themselves.

“The Iyrmen really do like the sun,” Adam said, keeping an eye on the children.

Strom wasn’t entirely sure what Adam meant by it. “I hear the Devilkin enjoy it.”

“I mean, you know, they’re all so eager to wear close to nothing.”

“They forged their bodies through their entire life, so why should they not show it off?” Strom asked.

Adam furrowed his brows. “That’s a good point.”

“Does it make you feel uncomfortable?”

“A little,” Adam admitted. “I’m not used to it.”

“You really are queer.”

“I get that a lot.”

Strom smiled. “Elves are known for a few things, and their want to reveal their forms is one of them.”

“Yeah, well, you know that I’m only half an Elf.”

“Half Elf, wholly queer.”

Adam let slip a chuckle. “Well said.”

They finally approached the stream, where at least fifty Iyrmen were already relaxing. They sat beside the stream, resting their feet in the water. The stream was no larger than a pinky at the deepest. Off to the side were a number of wells, where one could draw fresh water to drink, or to cup water more easily using a ladle to refresh oneself.

The children rushed towards the water, with Lanarot cackling excitedly as everyone ran, before they all slowed. Taygak guided them to sit down first, even assisting Asoyah, as Turot sat beside Lanarot, helping her out of her tiny slippers. They each placed their feet into the water to cool off at first.

“She will not remember me,” Strom said. “She is too young.”

Adam swallowed, glancing over to the older man. His eyes were glued on Lanarot, though a sadness filled them. “Yeah.” He wasn’t sure what he should say to lighten the mood.

“I hear the first memories of children form when they are three or four,” Strom said. “Humans and the others, not so much for those from the greater races.”

“Greater races?”

“Dragons, Giants, and so on,” Strom said. “I hear that other races form memories younger or older, like those of the little creature. Gobbees?”

“Goblins?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Strom said, nodding his head. “Goblins.”

“Well, I don’t know about greater races or anything,” Adam said, his voice full of sarcasm, “but you’re right about Humans.”

“I will be long dead by the time she remembers anything,” Strom said. “She will not remember riding on my shoulders.”

“She rides your shoulders?” Adam asked.

“When you were gone.” Strom smiled towards the Half Elf.

Adam narrowed his eyes at the old man. He decided against rebuking the old man, not because he was strong, but because he wouldn’t be able to play with Lanarot soon. “Well, why don’t you give her something to remember you by? I don’t know, your Spark, perhaps?”

Strom’s lips formed a wide smile before he began to laugh heartily, causing some of the Iyrmen to look his way. Even Lanarot turned her head, before she laughed like a hyena.

“Perhaps?” Strom replied, still smiling wide. “I will find something to gift her to remember me by.”

“You already gave her that Dragon scale armour before, so I don’t think you really need to worry. Plus, even if she does forget, she’ll have the ability to tell everyone you got to dote on her, which is quite the story to tell.” Adam slowly nodded his head, watching as the children eventually walked into the stream.

“My first memory was of my mother’s bread,” Strom said. “I can still smell it, even now.”

“Bread, huh? Is that why you like Lanarot?”

“Perhaps we are kin at heart.” Strom’s eyes lightened up. “She is quite the lover of bread. She has good taste.”

“Of course she does, she’s my sister,” Adam replied.

“That is what I worry about. Perhaps she’ll be as queer as you when she is grown?”

“Obviously, but she’ll be so strong that no one will dare to mention it to her,” Adam said. “Except for me, so I can bully her chubby cheeks.”

Strom couldn’t hide the smile which appeared on his lips. “She is an Iyrman, and your sister, and she has received my favour. I wonder what kind of monster she will become when she grows.”

“The cutest monster, of course.”

“Of course.” Strom’s thoughts fell to the future. There would come a time where he would die, and there would be Chaos upon the land. The Iyr would be able to handle it, he was certain of that, but there was something more important. The deaths of both the Master of Sea and Master of Sky would cause a vacuum. Of course, there was Shama who could deal with the sky, but there was still the sea. ‘It should be fine as long as there are enough powerful figures.’

Strom hadn’t figured it out just yet. Who could be strong enough to keep the various evils at bay? His eyes fell to Adam, who was an enigma, his abilities great, and perhaps with the potential to become someone greater than a Paragon, and then there was Lanarot, the girl. She was not even two years old, but by the time she was in her forties, perhaps she too would become stronger than a Paragon.

‘No,’ Strom thought. ‘I am certain she will be great.’ How could he think otherwise when he had all but assured it?

There was a small splash in the stream as Lanarot tripped.

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Adam darted forward with great fervour, but there was someone beside him who had managed to catch the girl before she had managed to fall face first into the stream. As quick as lightning, as gentle as a summer breeze, Strom had caught her, picking the little girl up.

Lanarot looked up at him confused. She was certain she had fallen, and she could still feel the sinking feeling, but the man who would carry her about was currently holding her.

“What is your rush to die, little girl?” Strom asked, brushing her hair. “Why is it that babies always try to kill themselves?”

The children had quickly rushed to Strom, looking up to make sure she was okay, but then down towards the stream. Adam stared at Strom, blinking at the old man, all the while he remained floating above the stream.

Strom landed back at the side of the stream, before placing Lanarot back into the stream. He dipped his hand into the stream before flicking the water at the girl’s face. Lanarot twitched from the water before she giggled wildly, splashing the water with her tiny hands, before waving her arms about to splash the water everywhere.

“I thought you were dying?” Adam asked, his voice full of doubt.

“I am,” Strom replied, simply.

“Then how can you move so fast?”

Strom smiled down at Adam. “I’m strong.”

Adam stared up at the old man for a long while. “Yeah.”

Strom could feel the ache deep within his muscles. He had moved too quickly for his body, but Adam would have been too slow to catch the girl. However, he hadn’t even thought about it. His body had reacted right away, no doubt the same as Adam.

“You can float too?” Adam wondered just how amazing Strom truly was.

“Floating in the air is but a trivial matter for me.”

“Show off.”

Strom smiled. “Yes,” he said. “I am.”

“You’re still strong even after losing your Spark?” Adam asked. “You look like you’re wasting away.”

“I may be wasting away, but I still wouldn’t lose to the likes of you.”

“How do you know that?” Adam asked.

“I could still beat the only fellow who has defeated you.”

Adam narrowed his eyes even deeper towards the old monster. “Really?”

Strom closed his eyes to think. He replayed their previous bout in his mind, back when he still possessed his Spark. He had to use one of his many trump cards to beat the four Iyrmen, two of whom were Paragons. “If he had his second arm, then it would be closer, but it is a fight in my favour.”

Adam remained quiet for a long moment. “At least I’m better than you at enchanting.” Adam smirked towards Strom, only to see the look on Strom’s face. ‘No way…’ “Taygak, Strom is bullying me.”

Taygak looked to Adam, and then to Strom. Then she looked back to Adam, her eyes asking what her Cousin had done to be bullied by Strom.

“You have stolen away my Taygak too?” Adam whispered, his voice low, full of feigned pain.

Adam went to enchant, plucking a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed.

Adam wept in his heart, wondering how Strom could be so amazing, and if there were other great figures in the world like him.