Omen: 5, 20

Lord Biggu carried Adam’s party and many of the Goofs with him to the next island. The group had gathered some supplies from the Goofs, including much of the Sea God’s scales, while Jurot had taken a small log. The Awakened Wolves relaxed nearby, laying on the turtle’s shell as the sun overhead threatened to bake them.

The fence of stone keeping much of the water away, but they could still easily access it so they could splash some water against themselves, though Lord Biggu shifted around every so often to splash the lightest spray of water against them to cool them down. Adam used his Tricks trick to dry their armour, making sure it wouldn’t rust.

As evening began to fall, they arrived at a large island which could house them.

“The island is home to no one,” a Goof named Rama Ri said. “We will rest for the night and continue on the morning. The islands nearby house no one.”

“How long until we find civilization?”

“Weeks?”

“Weeks?” Adam frowned. ‘Seriously…’

“We will escort you the entire way,” Rama Ri assured.

“You speak well, Rama Ri.”

“I am Rama, so I must speak well.”

“I see…”

The others were also named Rama, though Adam wondered if it was perhaps a title instead, since Chaka Chi had been the only Chaka, and had refused to come without the rest of his Goofs, since he was a Chaka.

The days continued to pass, and Jurot continued to collect logs, which were carried by the porter’s wooden packs. Jurot had noted how uncomfortable they had become, and so tasked them with carrying the wood, which had eased their minds slightly.

Omen: 13, 19

“By the gods,” Adam whispered, flying up into the air as he noted how long the snake was. This Sea God, as the Goofs called it, was far larger than the Sea God they had faced. It had been burnt to a near crisp.

“It has been left here for some time, but has only died recently,” Jurot said, eyeing up the area, which had been taken by fire too. “It was done by a single individual.”

Adam whistled. “That’s crazy.”

“You still can’t contact the others?” Jaygak asked, her eyes glued to the giant Sea God. If they had come across it, they would find it difficult, but her cousins, and the others? They would stand no chance, especially against whatever killed it.

“No. We can talk their language after eating their meal, and though my magic has grown more powerful, but Sending? It doesn’t seem to work.” Adam looked up towards the sky, seeing the colours all across the sky. “Balanced, as all things should be.”

“This is not the work of Ritetu,” Jurot said.

“It’s just a phrase that’s said by a villain.”

“The father?”

“No, it’s a different thing entirely. Well, not actually different, since it was bought out, but…” Adam waved his hand. “Let’s part out what we can from it.”

“There is a village a few miles away,” Rama Ri said. “The markings state it.”

“Alright, let’s go check on them, then.”

The group stopped parting out the creature, and followed Rama Ri, who walked swiftly. Lord Biggu had already fallen into the water to rest for the evening, so they had to move on foot.

“By the gods…” Adam narrowed his eyes, his lips pulled taut.

There were at least a hundred bodies, each burnt to a crisp. They were all tiny, and many of which there burnt together, some laying on others, their backs to the sky. None had been killed by a blade.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“She Who Curses The World,” Rama Ri whispered, his face growing paler.

“Who?”

“She is terrifying. She has the power to control the storms. It must be her. Storm Lord.” Rama Ri was barely able to speak upon seeing the sight of all the dead Goofs, but he and the other Goofs went around digging a ditch.

“Storm Lord?” Adam caught Jurot’s gaze. “If she’s anything like the Storm Lord we know, then I don’t fancy our chances one bit.”

“She is the greatest God of all, but refuses the title,” Rama Ri said. “She is the mother of all Drakons.”

“Do the Drakons hate you?”

“No. The Drakons are very nice to us Goofs. Very, very nice.”

“Yeah?” Adam wondered if he meant in the way that people at the bottom rung are happy with their place, for fear of punishment for rising up.

“Very, very nice.” Rama Ri nodded, before continuing to help the others make the graves for the Goofs. Adam and the others began to help too, digging out the holes, one for each family.

“May the darkness take you whole,” Rama Ri said, beginning the rites. However, it ended with that, and they began to pour the earth over the dead bodies. He did so for each grave.

They rested the night, and continued along their way in the morning. Adam clutched Wraith tight in hand while sitting atop Lord Biggu’s shell. He remained silent, for once, listening to the tales of the Goofs, and the tales of the Iyr he had heard many times before.

They found more Goofs, who were unharmed, on an island, but they continued on, with Lord Biggu promising to assist them. Lord Biggu seemingly didn’t speak, but the Goofs stared into his eyes to understand what he was saying. He refused to speak with Adam and the others, though, but didn’t seem hostile.

After a few more days of island hopping, they came across a much larger island, which caused the Goofs to cheer excitedly. They came across a port city, with a harbour designed in a particular way, one which was perfect for Lord Biggu to swim towards, with the fence lining up all around him and the docks in a semi circle.

There were three distinct groups within the village, with a dozen from each arriving at the dock to greet the visitors. One was a group of Goofs, who wore long strips around their necks. The second was a group of humanoid beasts, feline in nature, who carried tied cloths at their waists. The other was a group of, what appeared to be, Half Dragons, who wore studs of precious metals along their collars.

Jurot narrowed his eyes towards the Half Dragons.

One representative from each group stepped forward to meet the group, each wearing scale mail, carrying blades at their side. The Goof was the one to step even closer to meet with the group, which had began to disembark onto the docks.

Rama Ri stepped forward. “I am Rama Ri.”

“Where is your Chaka?” the Goof asked, narrowing her eyes.

“The Chaka remains with the people.”

The other Goof nodded their head, seemingly satisfied with the answer. “You bring guests.”

“They are people not from our skies,” Rama Ri said. “They saved us from the Sea God which plagued our island.”

“I am Shaka Ti, Chaka of all Chakas,” the Goof said, eyeing up the strangers. “Since you have helped my people, you are welcome on this island. We have others that come from the sky beyond our skies, do you know of them?”

“Probably,” Adam said, excitedly. “Who are they?”

“There is your leader, the Demon Lord.”

“Ah, so Lucy’s here?”

“Demon Lord Lucy is indeed here,” the Shaka replied, narrowing her eyes at Adam’s blatant disrespect.

The group was invited into the large city, which, though housing but a few thousand people, was far more expansive than even the village beside the Iyr. None of the buildings were taller than even two stories, and the two story buildings were spread out wide from one another. Each building was like a small estate, seemingly only for a single family, which allowed them more than ample space to grow their own crops, to relax with their neighbours, and to live within their own rooms.

As they walked towards the centre, Adam spotted familiar faces.

“You’re safe!” Adam shouted, greeting his companions.

“Of course you’d be the first one to find us,” Lucy said, shaking his forearm, before she was swallowed by Adam’s hug.

“Has she been treating you well?” Adam asked, hugging his Cousins too, from Naqokan, Uwajin, and Laygak. He had awkwardly avoided doing the same with Mara, shaking her forearm politely.

“She has,” Naqokan replied. “Have you found the others?”

“No, no, not yet.” Adam glanced around, seeing the other gazes on him and his group. “How long have you been here?”

“For a few days. We arrived by turtleback after helping a nearby island with an issue.”

“A Sea God?” Adam asked.

“No. We awoke near a small Goof village. It had suffered from a landslide before we arrived. We assisted them and they brought us here, by way of a giant turtle named Lord Shakku.”

“Ours was Lord Biggu. He helped us here after we killed a Sea God.”

“A worthy foe?”

“When we have Kitool at our side, what could dare to claim they’re a worthy foe?” Adam joked.

Naqokan smiled. “The others should be safe, if they are together.”

“I’ve been trying to contact the others, but Sending isn’t working properly. It keeps fading, and it takes up half my Mana each time.”

“Ill news.”

“So your magic isn’t any good here?” Lucy asked, standing up taller. “Then let’s fight.”

“Weirdly, only that spell doesn’t seem to be working,” Adam replied, smirking slightly. “My other spells have been empowered. I can cast my First Gate spells infinitely now, and I can cast Fireball well over ten times.”

Lucy frowned, sitting back down near the central fire. “Never mind. My stomach’s hurting from how stupidly lucky you are.”

Adam laughed.