The large canoe glided swiftly and quietly through the clear water of the deeper swamp. Somehow a giant lizard man half again Tom's height and more than double his weight was make his giant paddle push the plus size canoe without making barely a sound. As Tom stared it seemed to be a twisty wrist movement as the paddle entered and exited the water. Calling the canoe a canoe might have been a stretch though.

After having decided to take John's canoe without more than a meals worth of bickering Tom found himself on what had to be the worlds largest canoe. Built for the man, gator, lizard-person who piloted it.

"What kind of a name is John?" Tom said speaking out loud, as the canoe passed the furthest out of his buoys.

"A normal name I would think" John got out in-between breaths, apparently even John couldn't move the world's largest canoe at a horses spread without feeling some exertion.

"But your not very" Tom gestured towards John waving his hands, "normal?"

"I put my pants on just the same as you do one leg at a time" John got out in-between several strokes of the paddle.

With a harrumph Tom leaned back against his back and watched around at the trees swiftly passing them by. The bayou was full of life at all times, the birds flew between branches and chased each other into and out of sight. Lizards could be seen sunbathing on rocks and logs, enjoying the sun while they could.

Startling Tom out of his stupor not terribly long but perhaps almost terribly long later he heard John "I suppose we have to get that life and death something to work with, nothing builds muscle faster" John said passing a paddle past Tom's shoulder.

"Can you paddle a canoe or do I need to call out cadence?" John asked.

"I can pad" Tom started to say but John had already broken into song. The lyrics were quick and not terribly well sung or well written but they made a catchy tune.

"a MAN name john"

"was RUNning home"

"he MISSED his wife"

"twas ALL alone"

Paddling to the rhythm of the song was fairly simple and the two fell into a stride as John steered from the rear of the canoe. The song continued to tell how a mans wife was too pretty and "John" could never leave for long for fear some man would steal his wife away. With is dung, goats, and lots of rope the man kept the would be suitors away from his wife.

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After the song and the team paddling Tom didn't even notice that the day had mostly gone by. Not just this but the bayou was starting to look different. Not different like after the shrine experience the whole world was more vivid different, but more like plants and trees weren't as familiar or made him feel as at home as on his preferred turf.

John huffed as he steered the canoe towards an island that was raised higher than most. This height being all of a few feet more would hopefully keep them dry through the night.

"I suppose I should explain a little of whats going on to you seeing as you've bought me at least another 50 years of my life" John said as he started to set up camp with a fire.

"What did you just say?" Tom stopped lighting the incense to keep bugs away and just stared and the strange beast not hidden by a cloak but in breeches and a loose vest.

"It basically comes down to the empire needs altars such as the one we saw to keep Wizards in power and themselves on the throne." John said, while motioning Tom over to help with the tent.

"You were brave enough to cut into their monopoly with your charcoal made atop an overloaded shrine, even someone with no fire affinity could probably shoot out a few fire spells with the charcoal you were peddling. Lucky I was in town when they got to you"

"So what are we doing out here?" Tom asked.

"One keeping you alive, two I need a human to help me ahem liberate a few more shrines around the bayou from varies owners. Only a Human of the right stock can control them, and if we keep you moving I can keep you alive long enough to make you the most powerful charcoal maker the world has ever seen."

Tom chuckled at that. They both sat down near the fire and John put a pot atop the flames and started to toss in ingredients.

"Nobles kill to keep the secret that magic is really not that hard, and also unless your us quite limited. You can probably feel the fire right now and arghh stop it"

As John had been speaking Tom had felt the fire and as he felt himself connect to it the flames rose higher.

The shout and more specifically the smack to the head with a wooden spoon broke Tom's connection with the fire.

"Your going to burn my soup you worthless excuse for an acolyte. Wait till the foods done to go mad with power"

Tom stared at the flames, all the questions filling his mind put to the back as he could feel the fire. It felt alive, dynamic rising and falling swaying with the breeze.

"Can you feel it" Tom asked John

"Not the fire no, but the water in the air around you" John said with a grin and flicked his free hand, water droplets forming on Tom's forehead as he did so.

"You do know your smile reminds me of my mortality right" Tom said in a definitely joking matter.

"Not sure that technically still applies to you now boy. Even with diminishing returns your still going to outlive everyone in town baring some archmage level ecologically bad decisions." John said.

As they ate from wooden bowls that they dipped into the pot to fill tom decided to ask one of the least important questions of the many he had.

"How many wizards, or mages have done you wrong to feel the way you do"

Johns faced seemed to fall, or lose emotion, or at least change. Hard to tell with a giant crocodile-dragon man.

"It only takes one" John said.

That was the last word exchanged before they lit a few more incense and retreated to the tent for sleep.

"Could you really make me the most powerful charcoal maker in the world?" Tom asked.

"Maybe might have to teach you to not burn dinner first though" John said rolling into his blankets like, well like an alligator.

"