The sound of wood crackling in the fireplace as the tea kettle was slowly boiling was something that made Adam feel at home.

Six months he had passed here with E'thus and he has learned things that no philosopher, no warrior nor priest can learn in a lifetime and he wasn't just blessed with that knowledge no, he was chosen for that.

At first, it seemed like a good thing, to be chosen but then he understood it's not much of a special thing since thousands were before him, thousands of dead people whom no one even heard their names perhaps no one cared about them either.

E'thus told him; "god chooses and he helps, but make no mistake he doesn’t do what you must do"

Adam understood that he was lucky to face Night and defeat him with his primal rage but no amount of anger or violence can beat Sea. She is a patient hunter and can make her preys swim toward their death and feed her willingly. To face her, Adam had to remain calm, concentrated, and most importantly attached.

Fortunately, he was really attached to his sword and that could save him from Sea, to get out of her realm he must use something from his own realm and for Adam, it was the sword that his father forged for him, his sharp silent companion and like any companion, it needed a name.

"names are a proof of existence" as E'thus said and "Noor" Adam named his sword.

"defeating Night thought you to remain truthful and accept truth however harsh and cruel it may get and live with it." E'thus said

"and now you are ready to face Sea and after that Wind. I wish you strength and wisdom Adam, you were a good student for me.

We will never meet each other again but I'll remember you, son of the earth. I hope you make it" he said softly and kindly.

Adam had packed a few things. A plan and a compose to stay in the right way some food and water to stay alive and Noor to defend himself.

"Thank you E'thus, if it wasn't for you I would've died back then.

You were my savior, my mentor and I won't forget you either"

They got out of the house, it was nearly dawn and as always a heavy fog was surrounding them but Adam knew the way and he was ready, sad but ready. he felt exactly like when he was leaving his parents, the same cold and heavy sorrow of departure.

Adam hated goodbyes especially when he had to say it to someone he cared about.

Adam took a few steps and looked back for the one last time

"I forgot to ask you, where the first men came from?" he said loudly.

E'thus pointed at the muddy ground beneath his feet. Adam smiled and waved his hand and kept walking until the fog swallowed the tall figure of the angel and he was no longer visible.

Adam was on the road an hour later out of the fog into the light.

He will miss that silence and peace but he'll continue and gets used to how things were.

Each person he meets and each fight he gets through, he gets more thoughtful, more doubtful, more isolated and somehow he still walks in the road that thousands of others walked before him. Same road, different shape and paved differently but certainly the same and it made him wonder 'does this road always lead to the same place? Or it's the traveler that change so much that seems like they all paving a different road?'

These thoughts didn't matter as long as he was still walking.

_ _ _

After a week he reached the fishermen's dock, completely abandoned which was a surprise for Adam he thought now and days people would be more in need of fishes to eat. Then he thought maybe they all are dead, that does make more sense

Though there were no bodies nor signs of any fight or conflict then he wondered if there was no more fish in the sea. Either way, he had to find a boat that works well, he needed one to make his travel to Uhadal much faster and to face Sea which even the idea of it was making him worried sick.

After a hopeless search in the dock, Adam finds a small boat named Dory. It wasn't clean and far from attractive but it was the only one which worked so he was thankful for that.

Adam checked the fuel, loosened the rope, and turned the engine on to sail, though after getting soaked wet more than he liked, Adam covered his backpack with a plastic cover so all stuff would be protected nicely and with experiencing loss of his stuff more than once he tied the backpack and his sword tightly on his back because he can't afford to lose anything anymore.

As Adam sailed away with the rusty old Dory which somehow made more sounds than the wild sea he saw the shape of a girl wandering in the dock and waving her hands for Adam to come back. He couldn't hear her words from far but either way Adam rather keep going and ignore her. wither she was a bandit or an innocent girl it wouldn't be safe for her to travel on this boat with him. "sorry, but I got a Sea to slay" Adam whispered feeling bad for the strange girl but it was for her own sake.