Chapter 35: 29. A Friend?

Omen: 2, 4

‘At least it’s twice as good as yesterday,’ Adam thought. His previous Omen had hurt his soul, and he pretended it didn’t exist. Though it was decent if he came across something, if it was only to be used for himself, it was fairly useless.

The villagers all waved at the Iyrmen, calling out their goodbyes to the warriors who were setting off. Adam remained far enough away to not bother them, understanding that he wasn’t being cheered on by the villagers.

He sighed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. ‘Seriously? Why didn’t you warn me about this discrimination?’

[You never asked.]

‘I didn’t expect you to be so untrustworthy.’

[Don’t blame me for your own failings.]

‘I understand my failure well enough, Bell. I put my trust in you, and that’s where I failed.’ Adam frowned. ‘Though, really, what other race would I have picked?’ Adam glanced aside, trying to think about the various races.

‘Human would have been so boring,’ Adam thought. ‘Though I would have been welcomed enough. If I had chosen drakken, I would have been part dragon, which was cool.’ However, he came to the conclusion that being a half elf had too many benefits which were too good to pass up.

Once again, they were travelling through a thick forest. The Iyrmen, though still moving with urgency, seemed more casual about how they moved through the forest. Whereas Eshva used to disappear now and again to scout ahead, she remained with the rest of the party instead today. The Iyrmen grunted to one another more often, even having full blown conversations between one another.

‘We must be getting close to the Iyr,’ Adam thought. ‘Otherwise, why would they all be speaking so eagerly between one another? Should I press for the continuation of the story?’

Adam decided against it, just in case it was interrupted by something. As the late sun peered over head, they eventually came across a river. Near the river was a small camp site of earth and wood, with a large fire at the centre.

Adam began to remove his armour, wanting to take a dip in the river, which was so much larger than the stream from the other day. This was a full blown river, one which was slow moving here.

“Stepping beyond the river is Greater Iyr,” Jurot said. “The forest from the river onwards is under the control of we Iyrmen.”

“Oh?” Adam said, recalling their conversation about the forest previously. “So we’ll be in the Iyr once we step past?”

“Not in the Iyr, but it is land which belongs to us.” Jurot began to strip down too, wanting to take a dip in Iyrman waters. The fact it was Iyrman water rather than foreign water filled him with a strange sense of delight. He was a stone’s throw away from home.

“Ah, I see.” Adam glanced along the large river, seeing how far it stretched, and the land beyond it. “The border is the river then?”

Jurot nodded his head. “Yes. It used to be the hills a few miles further, but it expanded beyond many years ago.” He flashed a knowing smile, wondering if Adam would pick up the pieces in the future.

Before Adam could ask, they could hear it. The unmistakable sound of weapons being unsheathed. The two reached for their own weapons, looking back, noting the Iyrmen with their weapons raised, their eyes glued to something. Adam had just removed his chain, but his shield was nearby still, reaching for it as his eyes followed the gazes of the Iyrmen.

A new, strange figure had appeared. Adam turned to glance at them, noting the figure dressed in a breastplate, carrying at their side a longsword, made of some kind of gem, strapped by the finest of silks. They were tall and lean, but not like those of the Iyrmen, and the way they walked was so graceful. Along their back was a long cloak of silver, outlined in the bluish silver of mithril, as though the metal had cooled over the hem of the cloak, with near invisible runes of magic embroidered within it.

“Good afternoon,” the figure said as they sat near the group, which remained ready to fight with their weapons drawn. Their voice was as sweet as a summer day, and so familiar.

The Iyrmen nodded their heads in a hello, but did not sheath their blades. Jurot was stepping back towards Adam, who had stopped reaching for his sword and shield.

The figure removed their helmet, placing it down beside themselves.

Her eyes were slightly slanted, with an emerald shimmer. Her nose was thin and straight, going down like an arrow tip, and her lips were even thinner. Elongated ears jut out the side of her head straight upwards, though was pointed like a leaf. Her hair was long, like liquid copper that fell down to her shoulders. An unnatural beauty that Adam had seen a few times before.

An elf, most would think. Her emerald eyes fell to Adam, and she smiled a beautiful smile, completely calm in the face of five deadly Iyrmen.

“The stars have graced our path, oh dearest-“

“Entalia!” Adam exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. His lips formed a wide grin.

Entalia stopped midway through her words, having begun an elvish greeting. To cut an elf off was a great dishonour. However, she was focused on something else. ‘What?’

“Man, I’m so glad to see you!” Adam laughed, causing the Iyrmen to glance back at him too.

‘Did he say Entalia?’ Argon threw a look to Tazwyn, who confirmed his thoughts with a nod of her head. She, too, had heard the name. Judging by how the elvish woman had frozen for the moment, they could see Adam had tapped into something.

The half elf tried to recall how they had met last time. ‘Isn’t this a little too soon? I swear we met later.’

Entalia remained smiling at the half elf, feeling the gazes of the Iyrmen return to her. They were about as shocked as her. “I expected the Iyrmen to know what I was, but I didn’t expect you to know who I was.”

“I’d never forget you,” Adam said, chuckling, only further confusing the people. “I didn’t expect us to meet so soon like this.”

“You know her?” Jurot asked, his axe out and ready for battle.

“Yeah, of course.” Adam nodded his head, giving him a thumbs up. “We’re frien-“ Adam paused. “Ah, wait. No, I mean…”

The Iyrmen glanced back at Adam, who was rubbing his chin. Even Entalia was being swept away by his pace.

“I know her, like the way I know you and your family?” Adam said, tilting his head. It was the truth, technically.

“From my recollection, this if the first time we’ve met,” Entalia said. ‘He doesn’t smell familiar, and I’ve never smelt his ancestors before either.’ She was sure that this was their first meeting, unless he had scried on her. ‘He’s too weak for that, though.’

“Maybe for you.” Adam kept chuckling, grinning wide at her.

“How do you mean?” Entalia’s eyes narrowed, her brow twinging at his annoying grin. It was a grin she preferred to have, one which meant she knew things others didn’t.

“I am Adam,” he said. “Son of Fate.” The half elf stared into her eyes knowingly, wondering if she had caught on.

‘Son of Fate?’ Entalia narrowed her eyes further, her mind racing. “And what, Adam, do you mean by that?”

“I’m sure you know.” Adam beamed with an innocent smile on his face.

‘It couldn’t be.’ The dragon, disguised as an elf, stared at Adam suspiciously.

“Let’s talk,” Adam said, assuming she understood what he meant. “There’s a bunch I need to tell you.” Adam motioned with his head away from the still armed, and very confused Iyrmen.

Jurot stepped to the side, throwing a questioning look back to Adam. “You wish to speak with her?”

“Yeah,” Adam said. “Sorry, but this is a private conversation. It’s a story. A story only for her leafy ears.” Adam wiggled his leafish ears at them.

The half elf stepped away, following the river until he would be out of earshot, then another twenty steps so he was out of earshot of keen Iyrmen ears too.

Entalia remained sitting, with the five Iyrmen staring at her, still armed. She felt her chances were better with the Iyrmen around her, rather than with the mysterious boy who seemed to know her far too well. Seeing that he was a weakling who she could kill with a flick of her finger, she stood up and sauntered her way towards the half elf, ignoring the Iyrmen.

Adam found a fallen tree and sat on it, waiting for her to finally step close. “It’s so good to see you,” he said once she was in front of him. “You have no idea how relieved I am.” He noted her face, which no longer marred by a scar. “I see you and your brother haven’t had a disagreement.”

Entalia had smiled first, ready to toy with him, but her eyes flashed wide. ‘What? Just how much does he know? My name first, and now he’s mentioning my brother?’ For a moment, she thought about cutting him down. It would only take a moment, and she was far enough away from the Iyrmen that they couldn’t stop her. However, if she did that, she’d be hunted by the Iyrmen, having cut down a guest in their party.

“What do you mean by disagreement?” Entalia eventually asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Adam squinted, leaning over onto the log and looking up to the sky. “I’m not sure what I’m allowed to say, now that I think about it.”

Entalia blinked at him, feeling the same emotions of denial which Adam had felt throughout the past few days. ‘What?’

“Ah! What am I saying!” Adam quickly sat up straight. He glanced around, making sure he didn’t spot the Iyrmen, before leaning in. “I need to tell you something.” Adam switched to drakken. “Have you seen anything which is poisonous. Not poisonous, exactly, but something which can corrupt living beings and control them. Not just people, but beasts and plants too.”

Entalia narrowed her eyes, seeing how serious he had suddenly become. She did not speak, waiting for him to elaborate. The less she spoke, the more he’d speak, and the more information she’d be able to squeeze out of him.

“It’s powerful. Big and purple, and reeks of evil and corruption. It has huge tentacles too, which could batter a dragon even at its weakest.” Adam stared into her eyes deeper. “Have you seen this before? Or have you heard rumours?”

“No,” Entalia replied, simply.

“Please, Entalia. If you find it, run away. Run away so you can warn us. The Iyrmen, the Aldlanders, or whatever they’re called, the giants too. I need to go see the giants too, now that I think about it.” He recalled Freya, though he was too weak to go and see her for now. “You’re the first person I’ve told about this, and just by speaking about it, I feel like I’m willing it to existence.” Adam reached up to hold his face in his face, shaking his head. ‘What if I’m calling for it to come here by mentioning it?’

“You’re asking me to believe that there’s an existence which can take over the minds of things, something even stronger than dragons, and it’s dangerous enough to threaten the giants, Drakkenlat, Aldland, and the Iyrmen?” Entalia raised her brow at the foolish boy in front of her. “Aren’t you giving us too little credit? I’d be offended if I didn’t think you a fool.”

“If you saw the things I saw,” Adam said, staring up at her again. “I’ve seen the Winter Mother struggle to deal with this guy.”

Entalia tilted her head, her eyes flashing wide for a moment before she regained her composure. “This foolish boy sure says some ridiculous things.”

“Entalia, I’m very serious. Even you were no match for it when it came to be. It whipped you around like you were a damn doll. Even a godly entity like the Winter Mother struggled against it. No, it faced two godly entities. Now that I think about it, Sozain tried to help too, or he asked for my help, and back then I was pretty damn strong too, so it faced the combined strengths of three godly entities, and me at my strongest.” Adam realised she probably wouldn’t think too highly of him. “I have a lot to tell you.”

Entalia stared down at him, with a curious look in her eyes. ‘This boy is crazy. What is he even saying? Is he talking about a dream? No, he has something to do with that woman, no doubt. Even if they were dreams, they would be real.’

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“Please, Entalia.” Adam reached out his hand to take hers, feeling the cool metal of her gauntlets. “You have to believe me.”

“You expect me to believe you when you’re hiding so many things?” Even now, she wondered whether she should even humour him. However, he knew far too much.

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” Adam sighed, squeezing her hands through her gauntlets gently. “I miss the old you, even if you did constantly sexually harass me.” He placed his forehead onto the back of her gauntlets. “Back then you stuck your neck out for me.”

“Back then?” Entalia asked. “In the past?”

Adam glanced back up at her. “In my past. It was in my previous life.” Adam glanced around quickly, wondering if he had said something he shouldn’t have.

“Another life?” Entalia raised her brow, staring down into his eyes. They were desperate, the eyes of a fool with nowhere else to go.

“I probably should tell you…” Adam let go of her hands and motioned to the fallen log beside him. “It’ll take a while.”

Entalia sat down beside him, though pushed him to the other end of the log. Adam stared up at her for a moment, raising his brow at her to admonish her, but he sat on the end as she preferred.

He spoke about his past life, skipping through a few things with a small sentence or two, but paid more attention to expanding things which were to do with her. He spoke about their meeting, the fight with the thing, the way to the giants, the scar, and, finally, his death.

“I’m not saying I believe you,” Entalia said, her brows furrowed. She was serious, for once. “However, you know too much for someone who I’ve never met before.” She eyed him up. “Especially one as weak as you.” He had mentioned too many things which were near impossible to know for him. Even now, she couldn’t believe he could have defeated Chief Joti within the span of a year.

“Whether you believe my story or not doesn’t matter, even if it does hurt my soul. If you meet that thing, you have to run and warn everyone. That’s all I’m asking, Entalia. If you don’t, I can’t even begin to imagine the consequences.” Adam continued to stare into her eyes, hoping she’d understand the seriousness of the situation, even if he did sound like a crazy fool.

Entalia sighed. “Fine, I can do at least that much. If I find something like you described, I’ll run since the worst case scenario is my death, and the best case scenario is the end of the world.”

Adam smiled, then squinted as he thought deeper into what she said, before eventually sighing. “Thanks.” He slumped down, as though a massive weight had lifted off his shoulders. ‘Now there’s two people who know.’

“Though, since I’m doing so much for you, shouldn’t I get a reward?” Entalia tilted her head, her lips forming the smile of a greedy dragon, which was identical to her normal smile.

“What do you want?” Adam asked, sighing. It was a small price to pay if it meant she took him seriously.

“I want a magical weapon which belongs to you, or one which belonged to you.” She eyed him up again. He didn’t have anything on him, which was expected.

“I don’t have one right now, but I can make you one once I earn enough gold.”

“What?” Entalia blinked.

“What?” Adam replied.

“You can make magical weapons?” The dragon leaned in, keeping him within arm’s reach. He had mentioned he was able to make magical weapons in his previous life, but she hadn’t expected him to be able to at this moment.

“Uh, I can soon?” Adam replied, pulling slightly away from her.

“What do you mean?” Entalia crawled forward over the log, like a panther, looming over him.

“I think I’ll learn it soon.” Adam continued to pull away, almost laying on the log.

“So, you can’t?” Entalia tilted her head like a kitten, forming a small frown.

“Not right now, but I will be able to soon.” Adam remained under her, and quickly crossed his chest with his arms.

“How soon?” Entalia’s eyes suddenly flared up with greed.

“Uh…” Adam narrowed his eyes until they were almost completely shut, and looked away from the domineering gaze of the dragon woman, who was still an otherworldly beauty. ‘Bell, redeem the last Tool Proficiency you owe me.’ There was a moment of silence, before he recalled how he shouldn’t trust the system entirely. ‘For Enchanting Tools.’

[Done.]

“I can now,” Adam said.

Entalia blinked. “What? You can do what now?”

“Enchant.”

“Why can you do it now?” Entalia leaned in even closer, her nose almost pressuring against his as she stared deep into his eyes. He seemed like such a fun little toy.

“I…” Adam narrowed his eyes. “You should let me keep some secrets, Entalia. I’ve told you so many things already. Even as a dragon, you shouldn’t be so greedy.” His maiden heart thundered as he remained pinned under a dragon.

“Can you really enchant now?” Entalia continued to glare into the half elf’s eyes.

“Yes,” Adam almost squeaked. His entire body was flush with heat and redness, like a grilled tomato, though far more desirable to a dragon.

“Hmm.” She glared at him suspiciously, still far too close. “I’ll bring you a sword soon which you can enchant. It’ll be made of Rubicule, probably.” She pulled away, giving him some space.

“I don’t think I’ll be that good though.” Adam cleared his throat, sitting up slightly as the cool wind brushed against him.

“Even if it’s utterly trash, that’s fine with me. I’ll just have to charge you more.” She smirked. In truth, she didn’t care about the enchantment at all, but more about the magical nature of it. With a magical weapon, she’d be able to track him well.

Adam finally sat up, reaching up to his chest. “I hope in this life we can be good friends once again, Entalia,” Adam said, rubbing his heart, which was still trying to calm down.

“You’re interesting enough,” Entalia replied. “If you’re not speaking utter auroch turd, then we’ll be good friend. Even if you are speaking nonsense, you sound pretty fun to be around. You’re like an Iyrman with your tales, except no one will mind if I scoop you away to keep.”

“Well, there’s no need for that,” Adam said, smiling nervously. “Just swing by whenever you want to chat.”

“Well, I got much more than I expected on this journey.” Entalia stood up, stretching out her neck. “Those Iyrmen are still wary of me, so I’ll show them mercy and get going.”

“It was good to see you again, truly.” Adam smiled. Even now, after her threats, he was filled with delight.

“It was nice to meet you, Adam, son of Fate.” With that, she leapt up into the and spun, her body morphing into a mass of silver, blasting Adam with air.

Strength Save
D20 + 5 = 15 (10)

Adam fell back off the log, raising his arm to protect his face from the windy onslaught. Once it had calmed, he looked up to try and see her.

Perception Check
D20 + 2 = 18 (16)

Under the light of the stars and the disappearing sun, he saw the familiar gleaming silver scales. It was similar to the first time they met, catching barely a glimpse of her.

Quest Complete
Inform Entalia about the World Ending Threat
+ 100XP
XP: 60 -> 160

“Oh,” Adam said, blinking. “I didn’t realise that it was a quest.” He glanced around, noting that a pair of trees had fallen nearby. The Iyrmen had rushed towards him, checking to see if he was okay.

"What did you speak of?” Argon asked, his fingers wrapped around the handle of his greatsword. He still had reason to draw it.

"Something I need to inform your leader of,” Adam said, stretching out his back.

"Is that why you wanted to come to the Iyr?" Argon asked, keeping his fingers wrapped around the handle still.

"It was half the reason." Adam nodded, yawning as tiredness filled him.

"What is the other half?”

"To see the baby."

Argon’s eyes met Tazwyn, and his fingers tightened around the handle of his greatsword.

"The baby?" Jurot asked, tilting his head.

Adam’s lips twitched into a smile.

 

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