62. Forgotten Gods

62. Forgotten Gods

He dreamt that day, a dream which was real.

The moment he had fallen into the world of dreams, he found himself in a familiar world of darkness, which gave way to the stars about him. He turned on his heel, seeing the various figures, each staring at him like he were some kind of beast in a cage.

“A stranger in our lands,” one said.

“One of many,” another added.

He recognised the pair of them, who seemed to be leading this inquisition. “It’s a pleasure to see that you’re well, Miss Elaveil,” Adam said, noting the appearance of the godly being, so familiar, and yet so strange. His eyes could barely take note of any features, as though he was forgetting what he saw immediately as he saw it. glanced to see the boy on the throne of black, terribly jagged. “Long time no see.”

“You know of us?” Elaveil asked, her voice so sweet and melodic.

“Of course I do,” Adam replied, smiling. “I know of you and Sozain well, we’ve spoken before. I also know...” Adam’s eyes darted to find him, but instead, he saw another figure. “Lady Arya? What are you doing here?” Adam blinked at her.

“You know me as well?” Arya asked, her appearance easily seen and easily forgotten.

“Of course,” Adam said, dropping to a knee and bowing his head. “Lady Arya, Goddess of Swords. You had given me your strength, and I am not the the type to forget my favours, even in my next life.”

“Goddess of Swords?” Arya asked, staring at the kneeling young half elf. “I am the Goddess of War.”

“Goddess of War?” Adam asked, before glancing around, noting all the other gods. He vaguely remembered them, but the one he was looking for wasn’t around. “Where’s Bandlor?”

Elaveil and Sozain exchanged a look, one which had caused their siblings to tense up for a moment.

“How do you know that name?” Elaveil asked. Her voice was the same as before, but it held a greater weight on his shoulders, as though she was pressing him down with her tone.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Adam said, standing against the pressure. “I asked my question first. Where is he? Bandlor should be here, standing alongside you. Hey, Bel-“

It had only taken a moment for the stranger to appear, cutting into the domain. It was a knightly figure, adorned in the whitest of whites, and his blade was so close to cutting Adam apart, not even a finger’s width away from his face, only held back by a dark string which had caught the blade.

“How rude,” Sozain said, his finger raised from the arm rest on the throne. “Did you think I would allow you to cut a guest of mine right before me?”

“This is a matter above you,” the stranger in white replied, simply. His tone of voice was even, but it was full of authority.

Adam blinked, looking at the string on the blade, which was so thin, and yet could easily hold back the being which was still pressing his blade forward, trying to cut him. “Who the hell are you?”

The knightly figure remained glaring down at Adam, and Adam tried to recall who he had pissed off in his previous life. He continued to dwell on the matter, and the entire time, the figure’s body was tense, trying to break through the black thread.

‘Looks like Sozain is protecting me for now, so I guess I can continue?’ Adam cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re doing alright, Miss Elaveil.” Adam smiled a genuine smile. “If you weren’t I would have been particularly pissed off.”

Elaveil stared down at one of the various anomalies which had appeared. “Will you explain yourself, young man?”

“Well, your fath-“ Adam was cut off by the stranger in white having appeared beside him, who seemed to have cut through the thread of blackness, only for his sword to be caught by another sword, near identical to his own, but it was completely black.

“How rude,” Sozain said, staring at the stranger in black who had appeared. “Why are there so many who are breaking into our space while we siblings are speaking with our guest?”

“You may say such words, but it’s because of me that this boy still lives,” the stranger in black, who had caught the stranger in white’s blade, said.

“Do you really believe Lord of Order could lay a hand on this boy if I didn’t want him to?” Sozain asked, raising his brow.

The stranger in black did not respond, but he remained clashed with the stranger in white.

“What are you doing?” Lord of Order asked.

“What is expected of me,” his black twin responded, a wild grin on his face.

“You speak of the other worlds within another ribbon?” Elaveil asked.

“I don’t know what that means, but sure.” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

“Who asked you to die for me?” Elaveil couldn’t help but ask.

“Your father,” Adam replied, as Lord of Order managed to force his blade to the half elf’s neck, though he remained frozen as Elaveil’s scales appeared beside him, perfectly balanced.

‘Father?’ The gods had thought the same thing in that moment. A brother and a father, forgotten due to the whims of higher powers.

“It seems you don’t want me to speak about their father, Order,” Adam said, staring at the blade, so close to his skin, almost touching him.

“This is a matter far above us,” Lord of Order said. “Such things must remain buried.”

Adam’s ears twitched at the phrasing. “I can’t even speak of their father?”

“You know of our father?” Elaveil asked, keeping her finger raised, her scales keeping Lord of Order at bay.

“I do,” Adam said. “He’s the reason why I’m here. He’s the reason I died the first and second time.”

“How many lives have you lived?” Sozain asked. He was interested due to the fact he was the God of Death.

“This is my third life,” Adam said. “My first life was on earth, my second was on this planet, but on another ribbon, and this is my third...” Adam tilted his head. ‘Does that mean Belle doesn’t exist in this world? Is he missing?’ His eyes fell to the pair before him, the strangers he didn’t know. ‘Lord of Order and Chaos?’

“We should speak another time,” Elaveil said, straining to keep the stranger at bay. He grew more powerful as Adam spoke about her father. ‘They really do not want us to know more about him?’

“What about him?” Adam asked, pointing to the stranger in white. “Won’t he try and kill me?”

“He will not bother you,” Elaveil assured.

“Order must be maintained,” Lord of Order said.

“Are you on my side then?” Adam asked the black fellow.

Lord of Chaos refused to reply.

“He will not bother you,” Sozain repeated after his sister. “Tell me, Adam, son of Fate.” Sozain wondered if he should ask. “Are you the son of that Fate?”

“It’s just a name,” Adam said, though he smirked. “Though, I do pay my respects to Her.”

Sozain had almost relaxed, but hearing the last few words caused him to tense up. “Then, we will leave you on your way.”

“Before I go,” Adam said, glancing at Lord of Order and Chaos, shaking his head. “Even with the pair of you, you can’t replace him.”

The pair of them remained silent.

Adam laughed, wondering when he had grown so brave. He stared at the gods and goddesses once more. “Belle,” Adam said, his last act of bravery.

“Belle?” Sozain asked, his finger raised. Hundreds of black threads formed around Lord of Order and his blade, which had pressed against Adam’s throat, so close to cutting into the half elf.

“The name of your father,” Adam said. “Belle, the God of Chaos and Order, and don’t you forget it.” He threw out the peace sign towards the two Lords. “Dueces.”

Lord of Chaos smiled.

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Adam's been hanging around with the Iyrmen for too long, thinking he can talk smack against gods.