Omen: 1, 13

‘Well, I guess I’m not smithing today,’ Adam thought, looking at his luck. He trained lightly in the morning, as he always did, though wondered if he should increase the workout. Nightval had taken a toll on his body, and he had gained a little weight. ‘Aren’t Elves meant to be lean and trim?’

Adam bit into the fresh bread, staring down at it. ‘So. It was you.’ He chewed it slowly, unable to resist the fresh warmth of the pillowy bread. He held it out to his sister, who stared at it for a moment, before leaning in to bite it.

“What a good little sister you are,” Adam said. “You can help me with my diet.”

Lanarot did not respond, too busy trying to push more bread into her mouth, concentrating on eating.

With his lack of good luck, Adam made his way out with Shikan, who took Adam to assist the Iyr. They made their way to a nearby warehouse, which held several rickshaws nearby, and were beginning to be filled with sacks full of grain.

“Right, it’s dawnval soon,” Adam said. “Will there be much planting?”

“We are working the soil now,” Shikan replied. “Towards the end of the month we will work the soil, planting whatever we need for the next year.”

Adam assisted the Iyrmen, pushing a rickshaw away, following Shikan as they went around to hand out the sacks of grain to the various shared estates.

“Will we be heading into the family estates?” Adam asked.

“No,” Shikan replied. “They were already dealt with earlier this month.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “So the shared family estates receive the food after?”

“It is usually the main family estates which receive whatever they require first, and the shared family estates last,” Shikan said. “If they are lacking in food or other items, they may acquire them from the main family estates.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “These rickshaws make the work so much easier.” Adam recalled how last time they had walked around with this huge leather contraption which assisted them in holding all the sacks. “Why didn’t we have…” Adam then remembered who it was that brought these contraptions to the Iyr. ‘Damn! I’m so smart.’

Shikan wondered if Adam had forgotten that he was the one to bring rickshaws into the Iyr. ‘No doubt he had forgotten.’ Shikan was fairly certain Adam was like that. He had forgotten so many things, like how he had brought back so much to the Iyr, from pelts to souvenirs. ‘Is it because his little sister is always on his mind?’

Adam continued moving about, from estate to estate, meeting and greeting all kinds of Iyrmen.

“It is good to see you again,” Dargon said, greeting Adam by shaking his forearm.

“Yo,” Adam said, shaking the Iyrman’s forearm. “Yeah, it’s been a while.”

“Not that long,” Dargon replied. “You had enchanted that greatsword.”

“Oh, right, right,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I hope it’s useful.”

“We shall see once my cousin returns,” Dargon said, assisting with moving the heavy sacks. “How are you enjoying the Iyr? It has been almost a year, yes?”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “About a year, I think? It’ll be a year this time next month or so. I think it’s been fun, mostly. Sometimes I’ve been having a minor issue, you know, with the whole Great Elders not liking me and everything, and some of the older people of the Iyr not liking me neither, but it’s been pretty great.”

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

“Do not mind them, those old Iyrmen are just angry that they were not able to claim you. The Great Elders, well, I believe they like you. Mostly.”

Adam smiled. “Mostly. Quite an important word, huh? They want me alive, mostly. They want me to happy, mostly. Mostly. What a word.” Adam shook his head, before laughing.

“I am glad to see you are well, Adam,” Dargon said, patting his shoulder. “I hear you are going to be leaving next month after your sister’s birthday?”

“How do you know that?”

“Sonarot comes by sometimes to speak with us,” he said. “Since you do not come yourself.”

“I don’t want to intrude,” Adam said, flushing slightly. “Plus, I’ve been pretty busy with all my enchanting and everything.”

“During Twlight Month?” Dargon raised his brow.

“Well, no, not during this month, but the other months,” Adam replied, chuckling nervously. “Actually, I’ve been forging a lot this month. That’s my goal for this month, to make weapons that I can enchant to auction off. I’ve been thinking about my future in the Iyr, and my future in this… place in general.” Adam had almost said world, but realised that wouldn’t have been good to say.

“What is that place?” Dargon asked.

“I’ve been thinking about setting up a business one day,” Adam said. “A group of inns all along Aldland for Adventurers, and other travellers, as they make their way around peacefully along the land. I might even make an agency for assisting in travel too, a delivery company of sorts, but that’s far in the future.”

“A group of inns?”

“Yeah, between the main towns and cities, roughly half way,” Adam said. “It would provide all kinds of services. It would be almost like it’s own little village, but it’ll have so many services that people need. From maintaining equipment, to buying healing potions, maybe even magical items.”

“That is quite the task. A difficult task, one which I can only think you can manage.” Dargon smiled at Adam. “After all, you are Adam.”

“I am Adam,” Adam said. “Truer words have never been spoken.”

“If it is you, then I believe you can manage such a thing.” Dargon nodded, patting the Half Elf’s shoulder. “So do not take the words of those old Iyrmen to heart, nor the words of the Nobles you have angered, though they might make it difficult for you.”

Adam stared at Dargon. Dargon, who was one of the first few Iyrmen he had met in this world. Dargon, who had come with him to find a herb for his Aunt. Dargon, who had been tortured by the Aswadians when they had been caught.

“Oh,” Adam said, blinking. “Right. I completely forgot that I angered Sir Harvey and a Knight from whatever that place was. Eaglewing, I think?” Adam wondered if that would pose a problem for making an inn between the towns and cities. ‘No, no, it should be fine, right? Though the Lady of Deadwood didn’t like me either, so I guess I can’t really make something there?’

“You may need to find someone else,” Dargon said.

“Oh yeah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I had that figured out.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t ask the Iyrmen or the Priests in my company, so I asked Fred. He’s a companion we picked up on the way south, right before we met Sir Merry.”

“I have heard of your tale, though you have not told us it,” Dargon said, his eyes accusatory.

“I’ll, you know, find some time later,” Adam said, clearing his throat. “I’m not very good at that sort of thing, as you know, so it’s probably best Jurot tells you the story.”

“Does it matter? You met Sir Merry, and that alone will make the story interesting,” Dargon assured.

“I’ll swing by another day.”

“You may tell them now,” Shikan said. “I will continue as there is little left to do today.”

Adam looked to Shikan, his eyes blank. ‘Why would you do this to me?’

“Then it is settled,” Dargon said, before calling for the children. All of them had been nearby, staring at the Half Elf who had slain a Dragon and had given them each multiple scales.

Performance Check

D20 + 5 = 24 (19)

So Adam spoke the tale to the children, who were all listening intently. He mentioned how he had first went to collect a young man by the name of Nobby, whose muscles had even seduced Jurot, son of Surot.

They were excited to hear about the White Wolves, the Nightval Bear, and the Awakened Wolf, who they had seen around the Iyr.

They clapped their hands upon hearing about his dealing with the Knight. Upon mentioning Lord Stokmar, Adam waited for the applause, but nothing came.

“Lord Stokmar?” Dargon asked, noting the story had paused.

“Yeah,” Adam said. “He was created by the Salt Mother, and he had a large part to play after the Aswadian Empire took over South Fort. It was during the Time of Two Shens.”

“Ah!” Dargon said. “Yes, that Lord Stokmar?”

“Yep,” Adam said.

“You are sure?”

“Jurot was,” Adam said. “Plus, after what I saw, yeah, I’m pretty sure it was the real one.”

“Strong?” a child asked.

“Very.”

“Then I will slay him,” the child said.

“Lord Stokmar is not for slaying,” Dargon reprimanded. “We must respect him.”

“Then I will respect him,” the child said.

‘The Iyrmen children are so adorable.’ Adam smiled. “Anyway, we met Lord Stokmar and…”

Adam continued with his story, which welcomed applause after applause as he mentioned such great feats. Sir Merry and Sir Royce, including Jurot’s fight. The Silver Strider and the Twilight Fox.

‘So much happened in that one month,’ Adam thought. ‘I should have kept adventuring.’