‘I must have killed millions of them, those little fish fuckers. I skewered them with my trident, I grilled them and them to my…’ As quickly as his rage had come, it disappeared. ‘I was young then. Brash. The wars continued for some time. The rebellions returned. Then, my darling wife, she passed away.’

Strom could remember that time like it was yesterday. ‘I let go of my throne. What need of I, of a throne which had been unable to protect them? I left, and I continued to wage my wars, I continued to fight. I started trouble with so many, I can’t remember who I didn’t offend during that time.’

‘The Iyr too?’

‘No,’ Strom said. ‘The Iyr has always welcomed me and mine, so I’d never go against it. A century I fought. A century, that’s how long it took me to sort out my thoughts. I returned, taking back my throne. There weren’t many rebellions after that, not after I nipped them at their bud. I… I imprisoned some of my children too.’

‘Damn.’

‘I had to,’ he said, as though still trying to convince himself. ‘I formed seven Kingdoms, each which had been given to a direct descendant of mine, one for each wife. The first Kingdom was mine, though, the seat of the Empire. I’ve passed it on now to one of my first daughter’s descendants, who started some trouble with the Iyr. I know the Iyr won’t take it to heart, though.’

‘Who starts trouble in the Iyr?’ Adam asked.

‘Fools,’ he replied, with a smile growing on his face. ‘And worse.’

‘So… how old are you?’

‘You’ll find out, one day.’

‘In the future?’

‘Yes,’ he replied, unable to contain his smile. ‘In the future.’

‘You must be fucking ancient,’ Adam thought.

‘I am. A relic of an era long forgotten. The people who can truly remember that time can be counted on one talon.’

‘You’re definitely a Dragon.’

Strom smiled. ‘Something like that.’ Strom pat the young man’s shoulder gently. ‘Thank you for listening to this dying old man’s rambles.’

‘Are you really dying?’

‘My Spark is fading.’

‘Is that a physical thing, or like a metaphorical thing?’

‘It’s a physical thing deep inside me. Once my Spark leaves me, I will be a powerful old man. Then, I will die.’

‘A Spark, eh? Is that like a Dragon heart?’ Adam wondered if he could have it.

‘Something much greater. Dragon hearts, once they reach a thousand years old, transcend into an Ember. An Ember spends many years continuing to form, before it becomes a Spark. I could have gone further, but…’ He shook his head. ‘Immortality is a curse I do not wish to suffer.’

‘So you have, what, a year left?’

‘I will probably die during next year’s Twilight Month.’ He shrugged his shoulders.

‘Are you afraid of death?’

‘In a way,’ Strom said. ‘I’m afraid of what will happen to my children. I know they’ll fight. The Empire tripled and halved twice. Once I die, it’ll break into more than seven pieces. I’d guess to about twenty or so, more if the others are as smart as I think they are.’

‘Sounds rough.’

‘I just hope they don’t kill each other. They’re family, but…’ He sighed.

‘Killing family?’ Adam thought. ‘I mean, sometimes I thought about killing my brother and sister. I wouldn’t, really, I was just annoyed at them.’

‘What of Lanarot?’

Adam narrowed his eyes. ‘I wouldn’t kill her.’

‘Really? Even if you were to receive something great?’

‘I wouldn’t kill her for anything.’

‘Not even to become the King of the world? Emperor, I suppose?’

‘Nope.’

‘What about for the greatest weapon to ever exist? That which would make Phantom look like a toy?’

‘Nope.’

‘What if she tries to kill you?’

‘Lanababy, trying to kill me?’ Adam raised his brow, the way Turot did.

‘What if she does?’

‘I’ll stop her.’

‘If you cannot? If she has to kill you for an ancient weapon, and if you hold back you will be certain to die?’

‘Then I’ll just get the weapon for her,’ Adam replied.

‘What if she wants to kill you because she needs your soul for the weapon?’

Adam paused to think.

‘If you do not kill her, she will kill you.’

‘Then I guess I’ll die,’ Adam said. ‘I’ll never kill her, not willingly. Not even if I was forced to kill her to save countless lives. You’d have to mind control me, or charm me, I suppose?’

‘You love her so much?’

Adam brushed the girl’s hair gently. “I love you so much, Lanababy,” he whispered, before kissing her cheek.

‘What a heavy burden we hold,’ Strom said.

‘It’s worth it though, isn’t it?’

Strom smiled. ‘Don’t become a King or Emperor, Adam.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Then you become the father of your people, and…’

‘And you’ll be forced to pick between your family and your country.’

‘Sometimes, inevitably, you’ll have to pick your country over your family.’

‘Yeah,’ Adam said. ‘If you’re a good King or a good Emperor.’

Strom sighed. ‘Sometimes I think back to that time. Should I have really seized the throne? Should I have gone through all that pain and suffering to create such a precious thing which will only break upon my death?’

‘You’re too old to be thinking about that,’ Adam replied. ‘You’ve only got a year left.’

Strom slowly nodded his head.

‘You know, I think you’ll get along with Jarot.’

‘Who is Jarot?’

‘Lanarot’s grandfather.’

‘Is he your grandfather?’

‘That old geezer? No way. He’s just an old geezer. Once I Level Up a few times, I’ll beat him up.’

‘What’s the story behind you two?’

‘Well, it all started when he… hey, isn’t that the Chief?’

‘You only just noticed?’

‘Yeah. How long has he been there?’

‘Since I arrived.’

‘Oh.’

The Chief threw Strom a look.

‘It appears I must be leaving you,’ Strom said, before standing. ‘I’ll be seeing you, Adam.’

Adam nodded his head, going back to thought about the weapons he wanted to make, as well as the stories he was told by the old man.

‘He’s absolutely some kind of Dragon.’

“It seems that someone has asked for a fight,” Strom said to the Chief once they were alone.

“You have heard?” Chief Iromin asked.

“I’m not that old,” Strom replied, following the Chief out. “What a coincidence.”

“What is a coincidence?”

“Nothing,” Strom replied, as he followed the Chief out. They took a pathway which would have disoriented most people, though Strom was sure he could return to any place he had already stepped within the Iyr. ‘Why did you lay this place out so weirdly, Orelius?’

Eventually they approached a fields of soft earth and plush grass, which was blanketed by the soft snow.

Opposite him were two Iyrmen.

One was tall and strong, and would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn't for the huge scar across her left eye and down the side of her neck.

The other was a one armed Iyrman, who was without his Devilkin grandson for once.

“So, this is the old man who is trying to seduce my grandson away from me?” Jarot said. “You do not look so strong.”

“I’m just an old man,” Strom replied. “You must be Jarot, the old geezer.”

“So, he has told you about me?” Jarot replied.

“He said you were an old geezer he was planning to beat later. He was about to tell me the story when the Chief received word of your little tantrum.”

“I have every right to challenge anyone suspicious who is hanging around my darling grandchildren,” Jarot said. “Even if the Chief is protecting you.”

“Who is protecting who?” Strom asked. “Who is that?”

“I am Otkan.”

“Kan, huh?” Strom looked to the Chief. “Are they the one’s from Solomon’s time?”

Chief Iromin bowed his head. “Yes.”

“So, the two of you have come to fight me?” Strom asked. “Isn’t it a little awkward if I bully the two of you?”

“What is awkward is that you will fall too quickly to Otkan and I,” Jarot said.

“Are you sure you only want to sent out the three of you?” Strom asked.

Shaool stepped out from the shadows. “I apologise for my behaviour previously. I did not know you were Elder Story’s Guest.”

“It’s not like I took it to heart,” Strom said, referring to when they first met. “If you had kept attacking me, I wouldn’t have been so polite.”

“Three against one,” Jarot said. “If only Rangak was here, we would be able to give you a proper taste of our strength.”

“I wouldn’t mind a four against one,” Strom admitted. “Since Rangak isn't here, your Chief here can fill his role.”

“Are you not underestimating us?” Jarot asked. “Even my darling grandson would not underestimate us.”

“I am not your darling grandson,” Strom said. “Even if Shaool has some strength, the two of you are too rusty for my taste.”

Chief Iromin wondered how he was going to stop the group from fighting too hard. ‘Elder Story, please help.’ He received word back from Elder Story, sighing.

“Chief, do not stop me,” Jarot said. “This time I will not back down so easily.”

“As you request.” Iromin took off his coat, folding it neatly.

 

 

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This old man about to get beat.