A call pierced his thoughts. “Adi, Adi? Is that you?” Aunt Alma’s voice echoed from elsewhere in the house. There was the tapping of a cane that followed, each tap sounding louder than that next. From the shadows of the dining room, a frail-looking woman appeared. Her hair was like thick grey strands of frayed rope. Her blue eyes were wide with fear. Aunt Alma trembled like a scared dog. Once she saw Adi, her shoulders relaxed, but her hands still ran over each other.

“Oh, that the Father, it's you. I thought someone had broken in again, like last night.” Her eyes darted about the room, her minding taking inventory of the objects around her.

Adi could never find it in himself to correct her. Four years ago, a robber had managed to weasel their way into her house. Up a tree and through the attic window, if Adi remembered correctly. Aunt Alma had been woken up by something breaking and went to investigate. The robber hit her on the head as a means of an escape. After the injury, Aunt Alma seemed to relive the day after the robbery constantly. She started to compile a list of all the items in her house, and read it everyone morning before getting out of bed.

Aunt Alma shuffled up to Adi, placing her hands on his shoulders. She smiled widely like the way she did during their holiday gatherings. “Look at this handsome man, did you go for your walk tonight?”

It warmed his heart to hear her call him a man, yet it saddened him in a way. He knew that her view of him was clouded and foggy. The injury had blurred some details of what she could recall. 

The name Adi was a masculine one. He only had it to honor the death of his father’s favorite uncle who died sometime before he was born. Adi was told that it was the uncle’s wish on his deathbed for his beloved nephew named after him. Other times he was told that his father was so distraught over the death that he felt it was honorable to name his newborn after a name that Adi would barely know.

It had also been a while since Adi had last seen Aunt Alma outside of holidays. The older he got, the less his family started to visit other relatives. Father was either too busy or gone and mother was often locked away doing accounting for her business. He had started wearing his own menswear every day. He hadn’t grown his hair his hair out for years, making sure every month that his hair never touched his ears or forehead. At least it was a relief that some on in the family saw him as a man, even if it wasn’t honest as he wanted.

He took Aunt Alma’s hands into his, folding them in his grasp. “No, I haven’t. Actually, I have good news. I have been accepted into the Sect of the Iron Lord.” His face remained straight-laced as he watched Alma’s eyes become wide. She suddenly threw her arms around him and pulled him down into a hug. Adi gasped in surprised. He hadn’t seen Aunt Alma so excited in a while. It felt like he was seeing the way she was in his youth again. 

He hesitated but managed to put his arms around her waist. He didn’t hold her close, afraid he could break her frail body. Aunt Alma soon broke the hug, grabbing him by the shoulders. Tears created thin streaks down her face. She lifted her head to the ceiling as if talking to the Iron Lord Himself. “Give thanks to the Lord, may your Gaze watch over us and protect us.” She looked at Adi again and give him another hug.

Adi gently pushed her away. “I know I have wanted this for a long while and I’m greatly thankful for your help, but what about you?” 

Aunt Alma patted him on the shoulder and wiped away a few tears. “No, don’t worry about me. I can hire a resident nurse to take your room. You deserve to be out there serving the Iron Lord. You have been waiting so long you just…” Her eyes started to wield with tears again. “You just deserve this.” She pulled him close for a hug again. After a moment, Adi allowed his arms to embrace the frail woman.