Far east of Valenfrost’s waters, lay the Abyssal Sea. Named for its bottomless waters and near endless horizon, the sea has laid scourge to hundreds of ships trying to pass through it. The only safe way to traverse it is to keep to its edge and avoid sailing too deep into its waters. South of the Abyssal Sea is Areno, the large continent home to the profitable Merchant’s Guild and the central hub of most traders. East of the Abyssal Sea, and north of Areno’s far eastern edge, is the nation and continent of Kasan. Isolated and shut off from the rest of the world, its influence is spread sparsely around the world of Azura.
Connecting both Kasan and Areno is the small country of Naki. Peppered with steep mountains and dense forests, Naki inhabits those who were once a part of both Areno and Kasan. Driven away from both sides, they had made the region between the two their own.
It is here, near a small makeshift camp, that a certain Demigod had taken an interest in visiting.
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Nestled between two small mountains in western Naki, a young woman sleeps next to a dwindling camp fire.
In the night's darkness, by the dancing shadows of the camp, something took form. It rose from the dark, its shape like that of a rising welt. It strained and stretched, its height doubling as it wiggled into reality. The shape contorted itself into something that slightly resembled a man, its sides opening up into long, unnatural arms that grasped the air with long spindly fingers. The top of it shifted and opened like a pair of lips, revealing the face of this otherworldly creature. Its face was like that of melting wax, its jaw and cheeks malformed beyond recognition. The beard it wore was clearly fake, the hairs almost resembling rough bristles. The shadows of its hood hid the eyes, their silver glint giving away its beady nature.
This creature was none other than Thien, son of Myr and the Boatman of Hel. Despite being a deity that was supposedly only to be tasked with transporting the dead, it seemed as if this demigod was more interested in the sleeping woman in front of him.
Thien slowly crept up to the stranger, not a sound coming from him as he passively floated over to her. The Boatman grinned a wide and toothy smile as he leaned down to the young woman, his breath smelling like sulfur.
“Wakey Wake–”
Thien was interrupted when a dagger was shoved into his right eye, spilling black blood that oozed down the Boatman’s wax-like face. Regardless, he kept his smile.
“Quite a rude awakening,” Thien muttered as he stood up straight, instantly pulling away before the woman before him could grab her dagger. She scowled as the Boatman pulled back, her body keeping close with the fire.
“Now, now,” Thien raised his hands in defense. “That’s not a way to greet an old friend. Naomi.”
“What the hell do you want with me?” Naomi called in anger as she stared the boatman down.
Thien shrugged as he reached up to pull the dagger out of his eye. With a quick motion, he ripped it out, spattering more black matter everywhere. There were even small sizzles that accompanied the blood, its viscous and sulfuric nature burning everything it touched.
“Thought I’d catch up with my best friend, Naomi Miller,” Thien explained as he tossed the dagger aside. His right eye healed as fast as it was injured, the silver glare of his gaze returning in no time. The Boatman floated right over to Naomi, who continued to glare at him.
“How’s it going, Naomi?” Thien said with beaming positivity. “Naki treating you well? Better than Kasan, right?”
Naomi gritted her teeth at the sight of him, her lone eye glaring at him with a resounding vitriolic hatred.
“Good to see you’re still alive and kicking!” Thien exclaimed happily. “Especially after that entire exile thing—”
A long knife the size of his forearm was then shoved deep into Thien’s jaw, its tip poking out through his nose. Or what resembled his nose.
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“Fuck. You,” Naomi seethed.
“Ah classic Naomi,” Thien chuckled as he pointed finger guns. Without a word, Naomi ripped the blade out of his face. Like before, the wound closed as fast as it appeared, leaving no visible marks. “Always the funny one, huh? Now put that down before you hurt yourself with it.”
Naomi scowled and complied, her hand tossing the long blade to the side. “It was worth a shot.”
“Doubtful,” Thien said as he shifted to the other side of the camp, where the Outlander kept her things. He poked through it with his long finger. “Packing lightly or not at all?”
“I have most of my stuff stashed away,” Naomi muttered. “Just in case.”
“Hm,” Thien pondered over her words, his beady eyes looking off to the starry night sky. Without a warning, he reached into the dark shadows of the night, his arm disappearing. After a moment, he pulled back a large rucksack that clanged as it hit the ground.
“Hey!” Naomi shouted. “That stuff is supposed to last me for a few more months here!”
“No, it won’t,” Thien wagged his finger. “Not in Naki.”
“What?” Naomi questioned. “What are you…? Oh. Oh no! No no no!”
“I’m here to propose a quest for you!” Thien called out with outstretched arms. He was met with a thrown bottle, which he dodged rather quickly.
“Fuck off!” Naomi shouted. “I’m not taking another of your quests! Not after everything you put me through!”
“I put you through?” Thien’s eyes shifted horizontally. “The choices you made were yours alone. The consequences of those are yours to bear. Not mine.”
“Like I had a choice?” Naomi burst. “You ripped me from my world and promised me a better life. Threw me into Kasan with nothing more than a hundred silver and cheap clothes! In the midst of Frost, nonetheless!”
“If I recall, you were the one who’d made the choice to come here,” Thien pointed out. “I promised you a way out and you took it. Besides, it wasn’t as if it was all for nothing. Look at you! You were trained by the best swordsmen and shinobi in the world and turned out to be one of the strongest Outlanders to-date! Even if Iendis considers you a failure, you’re still my favorite.”
“You motherfuck—”
“That’s besides the point, anyway,” Thien interrupted. “This is a quest that I know you’ll die for. It involves the man who was behind the Tyok Incident.”
Naomi stared at Thien, her expression turning from confusion to realization, and finally to complete shock. Thien knew exactly what she was thinking. He knew Naomi wasn’t stupid enough to believe that he was lying to her. She knew better than to think that the Boatman would waste his time in pulling pranks in the mortal realm.
“What do you want out of this?” Naomi finally muttered. “I know you wouldn’t bring me this information if it meant that Myr would get nothing from it.”
“Perceptive and thoughtful of the God of Chaos,” Thien chuckled. “That’s why you’re my favorite.”
“Just tell me.”
“There is a man in Valenfrost, an Outlander like yourself,” Thien explained. “James Holter. He’s the one who will lead you to the man responsible for Tyok. As for what’s in it for me, well… let’s just say he ranks above you in Daddy’s list of favorite mortals.”
“What, you want me to protect him?” Naomi asked. Her tone of voice had changed to cold anger. It seemed like she had misunderstood the Boatman’s explanation. There was no doubt in Thien’s mind that she believed the Outlander to be allied with the ones who caused the incident in Tyok.
“No. Nothing like that,” Thien said. “All Myr wants is chaos. If we actively try to keep our pieces alive, then it desaturates the game and makes it predictable. Do what you want. Regardless of what happens, Myr would surely be pleased.”
“Even if I kill him?” Naomi muttered. “None of you would mind that?”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t,” Thien responded, his grin growing wider. “But then again, he could be someone who deserves it. Who knows? Your quest is to simply cut the head off the man who is behind the Tyok Incident. Do that, and I’ll grant whatever request you might have left.”
Naomi only stared at Thien, her one eye covered by the shadows of her blindfold.
“I’ll take the quest. But know this,” Naomi picked up her long knife from earlier. She cleaned its edge off the sleeve of her shirt. “If I find out that he’s anything like those followers of chaos. Or if he’s even slightly affiliated with them or that bastard from Tyok. I will end him.”
“End him, huh?” Thien asked. He felt more than a little amused at her spiel.
Naomi scowled, her blade returning to its sheath.
“I will kill James Holter if it means getting to my quest’s end.”