387. The Saying

387. The Saying

Omen: 3, 4

Seeing that he was rather unfortunate, Adam decided to take the day off. He played Warriors and Wanderers with the children. Many of their character’s died trying to face against the Hydra, which they had correctly surmised was weak to fire.

“Good,” Taygak said, patting the children’s head. They had fought well, and so she made sure to praise them, as others would do to her.

Adam assisted them in making new characters. “Alright, Saygak, what do you want to play?”

“Mage,” the boy said.

“Again?”

Saygak nodded his head. “I want Fireball.” The boy’s lips twitched into a shy smile.

Adam smiled. “Alright, alright.”

Once he was done with Warriors and Wanderers, Adam wondered what he should do.

‘I should pay him a visit...’

“Have you come to make trouble?” the Iyrman asked. He was strongly built, as Iyrmen were, and he was unarmoured, like most Iyrmen. At his side was an axe. He sat at a table, drinking from a clay bottle.

“I’ve just come to check up on you,” Adam said, taking the Iyrman’s cue to sit opposite him. He placed down his pack on the table.

“What need of you, of this Bovin?” The Iyrman smiled. “I, who once wanted you dead.”

Adam swallowed. “Really?”

“I believed you to be a danger.”

“Well, you’re not Elder Wrath any more, so...”

Bovin bowed his head. “I was denied a good death. Then, he who denied me the good death, joined the Iyr, and his Cousin took my place. Is it not a good story?” Bovin grinned wide.

“It is,” Adam admitted. “I can’t believe it, honestly. I heard Zardon was going to win, but then...”

“I lost a wyvern skull on the bet,” Bovin admitted. “I cannot be too sad, for is that not what the Iyr is? A place of stories?”

“I suppose so.”

Bovin nodded his head. “Now I drink and I eat. I wait for it, Adam. When I can, I will leave, and then I will search for a good death.”

“What is a good death?”

“A good death, is a death which comes,” Bovin said, grinning wide. “Even now, if you were to cut me down, it would be a good death, for it had come.”

“Well, I have no intention of killing you.”

Bovin roared, tossing his clay bottle. “So I must live for another day, to see the dawn of shame once more!” He laughed a long, sad laugh.

“Well, I mean, if you want to look for a good death, why don’t you join my business?” Adam dared to ask. “I’m sure there will come a day I will be in trouble, and then I’ll need to send you to do an impossible task, a suicide mission.”

“What is this business of yours, Nephew of the Rot family?”

“Right now I’m training Nobby, and soon I’ll be looking after his family. Brittany too. I was planning on making an enchanting business, and a business to take young orphans or peasants, and build them up. I want to educate them, and train them into Experts. Eventually, I’ll form a caravan, perhaps, ones which may go to dangerous lands. Might take a few years, but it is what it is.”

“That would take too long, Adam,” Bovin said. “Too long.”

Adam nodded his head slowly. “What about the Order of Wings?”

“As they do not have an official home, and work through the lands, from Drakkenlen to the Confederacy, and even beyond, they are not taxed, and nor are they expected to participate in wars. It is the respect afforded to them.”

“How strong are they?” Adam asked.

“Sir Robin is a Paragon,” Bovin said. “The others are Grandmasters and Masters, save perhaps Magpie, who is firmly an Expert at least.”

Adam whistled. “I met Sir Magpie, I think. She was the weakest?”

“Yes.”

Adam sipped his tea, thinking about what Bovin had said. “I hope that you are well and remain in good health. The Iyr still needs someone as great as you.”

“How do you know I am great?”

“My brother’s grandfather praised you,” Adam said. “He is the only one to have beaten me so far.”

Bovin roared with laughter, not expecting the joke. “I recall once, many years ago, when we once faced one another, your grandfather and I.”

“Whose my grandfather?” Adam grumbled playfully. “What happened?”

“I beat him, of course,” Bovin said, simply. “It was a good fight. This was before...”

Adam slowly nodded his head, seeing the brief look of anger and anguish on the once Great Elder’s face.

“The Chief tried to keep him back. It was not a denial of right, for they would have sent another Rot. Jarot was... distraught. Sending him would have only hurt him, that is what the Chief said. When...” Elder Wrath remained quiet for a moment. “When we heard that the boy had died, I was not glad, but I wished Jarot his vengeance.”

“I hear the Iyr is quite serious about protecting its children.”

“Yes,” Bovin said. “Our ancestors had been brought to near death. We cannot allow such a thing again.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “You know, sometimes I think you Iyrmen are weird. I know how funny that sounds coming from me.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Still, I think that sometimes we’re as weird as each other.”

“If a child of the Iyr were to be killed, would you fight for vengeance?” Bovin asked.

“Yeah.”

“Even if it was not a child you knew?”

“If the group would have a queer Half Elf, sure.”

“I can admit when I was wrong, Adam,” Elder Wrath said. “You are queer. Strange. Dangerous. I did not trust you, but I believe your heart to be true.”

Adam smiled. “They have a saying in the shared family estate I live in. Do you know what it is?”

“No.”

“Adam is Adam.”

“Ah,” Bovin said, slowly nodding his head. “The Great Elders have the same saying.”

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