"I gave it to her,” Adam replied, casually.

“You gave her Stormdrake?”

“Yes.”

“Stormdrake, which I lost to you in a bet?” Strom asked.

“Yes.”

Strom’s eyes remained on the young Half Elf, trying to understand what he was trying to say. “Did you lose it to her in a bet?”

“No.” Adam scoffed. “Losing a bet against Jaygak? I would never.”

“Did you sell it?” Strom asked, trying to find the reasoning behind as to how and why the young Half Elf could have possibly lost his Stormdrake. ‘Is it because he could not glean information of it from his spell?’

“No, I didn’t sell it. I gave it to her.”

Strom narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“I don’t use swords.”

Strom waited for a long while. He refused to believe that was the real reason as to why Adam gave away Stormdrake. His precious Stormdrake. He had lost Phantom, so why would he give away a greater weapon?

“Jaygak’s my friend and she uses swords so I gave it to her.”

“You gave away my precious Stormdrake for a reason like that?” Strom wondered if, perhaps in his old age, he wasn’t able to hear Adam clearly. “Even if you don’t use swords, you should when it’s Stormdrake!”

“Whatever.” Adam rolled his eyes. “It’s not even that good compared to Phantom.”

‘I should beat him,’ Strom thought. ‘After becoming so weak, they won’t say I’m bullying him, will they?’

He couldn’t believe that someone would say that their weapon was as good as Stormdrake. ‘The things I had to do to forge Stormdrake.’ A weapon like Phantom, though brilliant, and perhaps one of the best weapons within it’s class, wasn’t anything compared to Stormdrake.

Stormdrake within Strom’s hands was deadly. Within the hands of another, was even greater, for there were many abilities which Stormdrake endowed onto its user if they were worthy, some of which were irrelevant when the blade was wielded by himself.

“If you can’t fathom Stormdrake’s abilities it is because you are too weak,” Strom said, simply.

“Exactly,” Adam replied, nodding his head. “So I’ll use an axe instead, one that I’ll make into a greater weapon. I’ll enchant it with whatever I need, and then I’ll be able to sleep peacefully at night. When I’m not in the Iyr, I mean.”

“I truly have never met a young man like you, Adam.”

“Well, you’re one of the few who knows my story, right?” Adam said, smiling at the old man. “Is Stormdrake really that good?”

Jarot sipped his bowl quietly. ‘When will you tell your grandfather your story?’

“I believe so.” Strom laughed. “Stormdrake was one of the better weapons I have wielded. Not the greatest, no, but it was quite close. The others I have gifted to my friends and family, or I’ve buried in secret for someone to find, or for them to lay forgotten. Stormdrake is one of the few which remain in my possession.”

“So you have others?” Adam asked, raising his brow curiously. “Should we make another bet?”

Strom chuckled. “Stormdrake was meant for the Iyr, so when I lost it to you, I did feel awkward about the matter. However, since you’ve handed it to the Iyr through your own accord, I can sleep peacefully at night.”

“It must be Fate, then,” Adam said, smirking slightly.

Strom smiled. “If I had known that you’d give Stormdrake away, then perhaps I would have given you my Spark.”

“Damn,” Adam said. “Guess I’ll need to find a Dragon heart from somewhere else, then.”

“If you had used it for that tree, I would have personally come to beat you,” Strom assured. If his Spark had been used for something like that, he may have even burned the entire forest down.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“If we cannot find a Dragon heart, we can…” Jurot stopped himself. He pushed away the alcohol. He had almost let slip a secret he could not tell Adam. He had grown far too comfortable with Adam. Even if Adam was his brother, there were things that he could and could not say, and it was the same with any other Iyrman, save perhaps his mother.

“Do what?” Adam asked, leaning in to the Iyrman.

“I cannot say,” Jurot said, quietly.

‘Can I get a Dragon heart through the Iyr?’ Adam wondered. ‘It makes sense. I should probably speak with Chief Iromin, or maybe the two other Great Elders.’ “What does a Dragon heart do anyway? I mean, what can it be used for?”

“All manner of things,” Strom replied, taking another sip of his drink. “From spells, to weapons, to armours. If one uses a Dragon heart, it will have quite the effect on whatever you need it for.”

“Like dealing with an ancient curse?” Adam asked, thinking about the little Merman Princess.

“Yes.”

“That makes sense.”

“Stormdrake required the heart of a Dragon,” Strom admitted. “That, and the blood of many foes.” Strom smiled, thinking of better days, long gone, and perhaps forgotten.

“So I could use it for enchanting…” Adam thought about what he could use a Dragon heart for. “Hold on. Isn’t it weird that I use Dragon parts to make stuff? I mean, you’re a Dragon, and so is Entalia.” Adam looked to the breastplate made of blue Dragon scales.

“Is it?” Strom asked. Even Jurot and Jarot were looking at him awkwardly, wondering what he meant.

“Yeah, right? I mean… I’m making stuff from people.”

“The bodies of Humans are also useful,” Strom replied, casually.

Adam shuddered. “That’s…”

“I didn’t expect you to be so squeamish about that.” Strom grinned wide, teasing the young Half Elf.

“I guess. It just wasn’t a thing where I come from.”

“You will not live long in this world if you waste the resources given to you,” Strom said. “I know that Humans are a delicacy for some tribes.”

Adam winced again. “Enough about that. We’re meant to be here to celebrate my sister’s birthday!”

Since the other Iyrmen had given Lanarot their praises, Adam picked the girl up and brought her to the table, sitting her down on his lap. “Look at you, my adorable little sister.” Adam brushed her cheek gently.

Strom stared down at her, and Lanarot looked up at him. She hadn’t seen him in so long, and had forgotten his face, but seeing the tattoo on his forehead did cause her to relax since it looked somewhat similar to her mother’s.

“Hello,” Strom said.

Lanarot twitched and then hid her face in Adam’s chest. She looked back up at him moments later, seeing that he was still looking at her, and she hid herself again.

Strom smiled at her, and reached out with a finger. She stared at it in shock as it came closer, before he tickled her cheek, causing her to retreat towards her brother again. “She is a year old?”

“Yes.”

“A year passes by so quickly. Tomorrow, she will be two years old, and then three. Then, there will come a day where she will leave your arms.”

“Never,” Adam said, wrapping his arms around his sister, pulling her in close. “She’ll stay in my arms forever, won’t you Lanababy?”

Lanarot looked up at Adam and smiled.

Strom let out a short sigh, smirking at Adam. He was like Adam once. “Will you teach her magic?”

“I’m still trying to teach Churot magic, but I’m not really doing too well,” Adam admitted. “If I can figure out how to teach magic, then maybe I’ll teach her too. If she wants to learn, I’ll never refuse her.”

“You should,” Strom said. “Magic is useful.”

“It is difficult to use magic when we dance in our rage,” Jurot said.

“There are times when you are not raging. There are many great spells which are useful outside of slaughtering your foes, some of which will assist in slaying them, yes, but there are many other ways to use magic.”

“She will learn the way of our Rot family, and Adam’s magic if she wishes.”

“You’ll allow her to learn magic?” Strom asked, raising his brow.

“It is the way of her brother.”

Strom made a small noise of understanding. He looked between the pair, before looking to Jurot. He wondered, for a moment, how he came to be here. He had come to the Iyr to spend the last of his days in relative peace, save for the few fights he wished to pick.

“You said you had some unfinished business, which your Spark would have been useful for…” Adam said, leaving the statement hanging in the air.

“Yes?”

“So why did you give it up?”

Strom’s eyes fell to Lanarot. “If not now, when?”

“Why not after you finish your business?”

“What if more business suddenly appears once I’m done beating that little rat?” Strom asked. “It would be easy to continue delaying the matter, and I could convince myself it would be better to keep living for a little while longer.”

“You didn’t trust yourself?”

Strom nodded. “Perhaps I’ll find a reason to keep living, but…”

“But?”

“I’m tired, Adam.” Strom’s voice was full of a deep sadness. He, who had formed an empire, had grown tired of the world. He understood that it was selfish of him to give up the throne, the steady peace which had been hard fought. He, who had greater responsibilities than any of them could possibly know.

“Well, if what you’ve told me is true, then you’ve worked hard, Strom. You deserve the rest.”

“I have heard that giving up one’s Spark is not ordinary,” Jurot said, quietly. Even now, he was still shocked that Strom was giving up his Spark.

“It isn’t.” Strom nodded. “By giving up my Spark, I…”

“Papa,” Lanarot called, reaching up to tug Adam’s collar. “Papa.”

Adam raised his brows in surprise, before placing a hand on the girl’s head. His heart pounded quickly, and his body grew flush with joy. “Papa?” Adam asked.

“Papa.” Lanarot tried to stand on Adam’s lap.

Adam allowed her to stand, smiling down at her. “Why are you giving me such a great gift on your birthday, you silly girl!” Adam hoisted her up onto her feet and kissed her cheek. “Did you hear, Jurot?”

“I heard, Adam,” Jurot replied, nodding his head.

“You silly little girl, you were meant to call for baba first!” Jarot complained, letting down his guard in front of the old being beside him.

Adam’s lips twitched into a smirk. “Looks like she loves her papa most.”

Lanarot squealed as she stood on Adam’s lap, bouncing against him.