"Lord Aquariusinarium, we came here looking for your knowledge and wisdom," A Seakin priest said kneeling down as two guards held Vidian at spear's end, "This is the human that entered our territory, we can but trust him."
"What is your name?"
"Vidian."
"Vidian? Where are you from?"
"From the Great Desert."
"Let him go, my children, he is harmless," The guards lowered their weapons and departed, "Priest, leave as well."
"Of course," The priest bowed and left the temple. Vidian was standing in front of a giant figure. He held a large trident and wore a crown of water than seemed to just stay on his head, as if in a container.
"Vidian, I have been told, like my brothers and sisters, of your quest, my gods will give you your quest, and the people will now know that you are not an enemy and will gladly greet you."
"Thank you, Lord Aquariusinarium, I am ready for your task," He said kneeling down. Aquariusinarum's altar was in a bubble, under water, like most of the city of the Seakin had built, lying under an island that was connected to the seafloor by four massive pillars of stone. An elemental walked through the bubble wall, a water elemental. He bowed his head at Aquariusinarium.
"This is Oceanus, the God of the Oceans and Seas," Aquariusinarium explained, "He will give you your first task, the next one will be given by Piciniarus, I assume you know how to swim?" Vidian nodded.
"Follow me, Vidian, I will give you your task," He walked through the bubble wall and Vidian joined him, with the gills still on his arms. They entered the ocean. He was surprised by the pressure, pushing him to the seafloor. He walked around as the sand kicked up around him. He could breathe through the gills on his arms.
"This is the Seakin domain, over there, is the Abyssal Sea, the place where your next task will take place in," Oceanus said walking next to him, "There are somethings you need to know before anything, this task will not be difficult, it is to help you, I don't need to hinder you, your next task will be worse, tomorrow, you will venture into the Abyssal Sea," Oceanus explained, "I hope you are ready," Vidian shrugged, "Let me give you a quick lesson about some of the creatures and their environments, I am kind of like a tutorial to the seas," Vidian nodded, "Let's start, that is a Senvinotor, a small, predatory fish, normally there should be more, but this is a male, and this is mating season, they roam alone, but I know you are going to ask, why are you telling me this? Well, they can also blindly attack bloody wounds, so it might be useful," They continued walking on the seafloor, "This plant here is a airweed, funny name I thought of, very literal, it gives oxygen, as if you were on the surface."
After a million species of animals and plants and an endless monologue, Oceanus and him returned to Aquariusinarium's Altar. Oceanus left them and Vidian was alone in the room, he shrugged and walked out of the room. Apparently, his work was done, and tomorrow would be the start of Picinarus's work.
He walked in the dry parts of the town, sticking out like a sore thumb. People looked at him weirdly and even avoided looking at him. They chattered as he passed, whispering instead of usual conversational volume. There was a tavern, crowded by Seakin, both female and male, he pushed open the door and walked in, with the gills still on his arms. He sat down on a stool at the bar counter.
"Stranger."
"Yeah?"
"How did you get those?" A Seakin male asked pointing at his gills, "I never knew that humans could have gills, and on your arms?"
"It's called a blessing, brother, a blessing, Eternum's blessing."
"Wait, you are the one that Nezfalko talk about? Eternum's Trusted?"
"That is what I was called before, this amulet gives me that title," He showed his amulet, "I am only here for the blessing of your god, not to be a threat, nor to take advantage of your people."
"You must say true, you are Eternum's Trusted."
"I have a question, what do you do in this city?"
"I am a Seakin Hunter, second rank."
"Um, in regular language?"
"I am a Seakin guard, and it is my 4th year."
"Okay, makes sense, do you ever get attacked by the creatures in the Abyssal Sea?"
"A-Abyssal Sea? Yeah, those are dreaded creatures, they cause havoc in all the waters they visit," The Seakin sat down next to him, "I'm Aquwo Tailturn, unlike my last name says, I don't turn tail and run."
"That's an unfortunate last name, but what type of beast linger in those waters?"
"I don't know, no one does, the men that went there have never returned, or returned nearly dead and scared insane, unable to speak of them."
"Then how do you defend yourselves?"
"They don't leave the abyss often, and when we do, we fight tooth and nail, we fight on our turf, we can see them and we can't get tricked because of the dark so pushing them back is easier that way, why do you ask?"
"I'm going there tomorrow, the Abyssal Sea," Everyone in the bar stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him, "And I count on getting out alive."
"The Abyssal Sea is a tomb for any hunter that even dares enter it and go near it," Aquwo explained, "Why would you ever go there?"
"To complete Lord Picinarus's work."
"But, you will die, what would be the point of a work that would kill you?"
"I don't know, but I have to do it, Lord Eternum told me to complete all of them."
"That's unfortunate."
"There is an Abyssal heading towards the city! We need to fend it off!"
"An Abyssal?"
"A beast from the Abyssal Sea," Aquwo said as he hurried out along with other hunters, "If you are going to fight tomorrow, join us, it'll help you."
"My pleasure," Vidian smiled as his arm's exposed the gills and he ran out and dived into the water tunnel in the city, leading them out into the sea.
There were hundreds of hunters, some on massive eel creatures and some swimming, they were armed to the teeth, with spears and daggers. A massive figure emerged from the blurry sea ahead of them, first appeared a long tentacle, followed by another, then another, until and massive head emerged from the depths, it slithered its tentacles around the seafloor and locked the larger ones in place. The beast was massive, like a mountain under the sea. Vidian held onto one of the eel rider's mount and pointed to the beast. The Seakin looked at him weirdly. Vidian gestured that he would kill it and the Seakin squinted his eyes before nodding and the eel shot through the water, racing towards the beast. The Seakin turned the eel as Vidian pushed off towards the monster. Its massive eye followed him as he swam towards it. He placed his feet on the floor, looking up at the beast. The beast scanned him as the Seakin looked on in awe as he stood near the beast, staring back at it. A massive tentacle lifted and sliced through the water towards him. He concentrated trying to use the blessing Structania had given him. A green aura surrounded his arm, with markings lighting up on it and he swung it at the tentacle, it stopped and then ripped from the force, making the beast back up from the damage he had done. He changed his arm into a long, shining blade. He leapt through the water and spun, slicing through the smaller tentacles of the beast and then swimming towards the eye. A large tentacle detached from the floor and swung at him trying to swipe him away. He spun forwards swinging the blade down and slicing right through it. He kicked back to stop his movement then turned back to the beast. He used a webbed hand to move quickly towards the eye of the beast. He ripped off the blade that was his arm and hurled it at the eye, striking it. The beast lurched and swung its head wildly, removing the blade from its eye. He swam towards it and placed it so that it touched the other. His arm reformed and returned to its human form. The beast couldn't see and lashed out wildly. The Seakin hunters swarmed it, all of them charged onto it and began striking at it as if there life depended on it.
They felled the beast then got busy, getting rid of its presence, it seemed like they were trying to hide the very existence of the beasts of the Abyssal Sea. He looked around, along the seafloor, looking for a mark or a sign of the beasts that could be present near the city. He couldn't see anything, it would probably the same thing for this creature. He began thinking of what there could be in the Abyssal Sea. He shook his head and tried to think about something else, there were probably too many possibilities, he doubted all creatures would be like this one, who knew what the Abyssal Sea held secret. He swam back to the dry zone of the city and entered through the bubble wall. He stood in the entrance of the path as people crowded around him, having seen what he had done, cheering and asking questions about his power. A man walked up to him and gestured for him to lean forwards. Vidian did and the Seakin whispered in his ear, "Our leader wants to see you, follow me," Vidian nodded and followed the man through the crowd as he was cheered. He followed him up to the tunnel that lead into the island above the city. They entered a palace like home that stood on the island.
"My Lord, the human who slayed the Abyssal Being," The Seakin bowed in front of the leader and to his side stood his daughter, a Seakin that looked nearly human, except for finned forearms and gills that showed under her chest. He bowed his head.
"Don't bow, stranger, I should be bowing, you faced the Abyssal and fought to defend my city and allowed no deaths of my men, I am Wavanti Aquanto, leader of the Seakin people, I will give you a room to stay in my palace, this is more of your habitat," He turned to his daughter, "Tea, bring him to the room, thank you," She smiled at her father and walked up to Vidian and gestured for him to follow her. They walked down a large, decorated hallway, she turned to a set of large doors and 2 guards opened the doors and revealed a large room, there were 2 beds, a dining table in the middle with a small sofa and table near the window of the room.
"You'll be staying here," Her voice caressed his ears softly, "You'll be sharing it with me, if that doesn't bother you," She said entering the room, "What do you think?"
"I-I-I a-a-am fine I guess?" He shrugged and she giggled, "So you are the daughter of the Seakin Leader?" She nodded, "Why am I sharing a room with you, that would never happen with human leaders."
"Well, that amulet, it makes you Eternum's Trusted, Lord Aquariusinarium told me about it when I went to see him, so I wanted to know more about you," Her voice was like a lure, soft, smooth and innocent. He couldn't help but listen to every word she said. He sat down on the other bed and listened to her, "You must be tired, do you want to take a bath?"
"A bath?" He shrugged, "Sure, why not, yeah," She got up and untied the knots that held her dress, "Whoa, Whoa, why are you getting undress?"
"I am joining you, of course," She gave him an innocent smile as he turned his head away as her dress hit the floor, "It's this way," He only got up once he couldn't see her. In his head, he thought she had to have something planned, there was no way she didn't. He walked into the bathroom and saw her sitting in a bath, he sighed and untied the knot that held his pants and grabbed a towel and put it around him, she turned her head as he entered the bath, she was naked.
"Take off the towel, don't be a baby," Even her nagging was like a serenade to his ears as he removed the towel and put it to the side, "What are you so nervous about? I thought you humans found us revolting."
"I-I-I can't say that for you."
"What can you say for me?" She said as she slide closer to him, "Now I what to know, tell me, what description would you give me?" Her arm moved around back of him and held his shoulder, "Don't leave me hanging."
"Um, I, well, um, you are pretty?"
"I am what? I didn't hear you well, tell me again."
"You are pretty," He muttered.
"You think? That's nice, but what do you call yourself, Eternum's Trusted?"
"My name is Vidian, I feel like that should be the first thing to do, not make me nervous and ask me if you are pretty or not."
"Sorry Vidian, I just find you of such beauty, you are such a beautiful creature, I can only dream of beings of such beauty, but these gills and these fins make me ugly, or do they?" She commented as Vidian blushed, her voice was nearly impossible to resist, he felt a need to answer her, "You clearly like them, don't you?"
"What are you trying to do?" He asked nervously trying to dodge the question, "This is really awkward, do I have to answer that question?"
"I already know your answer, Vidian, I think you don't mind my gills or my fins, I think you are smart enough to put that aside and see a woman for her real beauty."
"I don't know if that is a compliment, but it sounds like one."
"Of course it is one," She said as she sat on his lap, facing him, "You are clueless with women and making then holding a conversation, aren't you?"
"Well, if you keep being this aggressive with your wants, I probably will end up stammering more than anything," He said as she leaned forwards, resting her chest on his, "What do you want to do?"
"Jumping to conclusions?" He moved her closer to him and kissed her cheek, "You didn't even ask me."
"This your first kiss?"
"Yes."
He moved her head down and kissed her lips. He held her against him and held the kiss, her cheeks went red and she seemed to lose her mind. He moved away from her and she fell back, staying still in the water, "You, you, you, you."
"I, I, I, I?"
"You stole it from me."
"Stole what?" He asked as she got up, revealing her naked body, "What did I steal, Tea, what could I have stolen from such a beautiful being?"
"My first, my first kiss..."
"Well, what did you think of it?" He had turned her tempting manipulation against her, "Tell me, how did my human lips taste?" She hid herself under water, leaving only her head above the water, "What's wrong? Your little ploy turned against you?" He moved towards her in the water, "Are you nervous now?"
"I didn't expect you to, be, so, impulsive."
"I am human," He laughed, "And temptations were present."
"Don't say that!"
"You were playing with me, so I returned the favor, Tea."
"You took one of my firsts, could you continue?"
"Of course, if this is what you want, but let's talk a little first."
"Talk about what?" She asked sitting away from him.
"About whatever you want, so you are less nervous, your voice gives it away," He leaned back smiling at her, like she had done to him when he was nervous. She looked uneasy, "What do you want to talk about?"
"I-I-I don't know, I don't often find myself in this position, I normally lead the conversation, not like this, I don't know what to do."
"I can tell," Vidian smirked, "You are even more beautiful when you are nervous, it is pretty amazing, your voice has changed from calm and manipulative to nervous and shy."
"Stop taunting me!"
"If you want."
"How old are you?"
"20 years, if that is how you count, or 19 winters."
"Winters? Do you humans use those? I thought they used years like us."
"Oh, well, yeah, we do, but, forget it," He sighed, "What do you do, normally?"
"Laze around, of course, I don't have a husband, nor a lover, and I am a princess," She smiled at him, regaining her confidence, "Maybe you could make my life livelier?"
"What do you mean by that?" He said leaning back and smiling at her, "I can guess, but I want to hear you say it."
"What do you want me to say?"
"What you want me to do."
"I just asked you to make my life livelier," She talked as if she was confused by his question, "You jumped to conclusions."
"You set that up for me."
"And you were correct about what I wanted."
"You must be bored," She nodded, "Lonely?" She nodded again, "Have you ever had a lover?" She sighed and shook her head, looking down at the water. He had been slowly moving towards her as he spoke and lifted his chin with his finger, "You can have me as one if you want, but I can't stay forever."
"I know that you can't, but even if it is for a few days," He kissed her cheek, "But, if you can, I would like you to return to see me one day, one day."
"If I can, I won't let you be lonely forever, but who knows what I have coming for me," He sat down next to her and whispered in her ear as he held her against him, "What do you want to do? Since this is your idea."
"Can you steal more from me?"
"What do you want me to steal?"
"My purity, my innocence, I want you to end the little girl in me."
"Tall order, Tea, but I can do that, but not right now, I need to rest," He lowered himself into the water more, until the water was at his neck, "Fighting the Abyssal took a lot out of me."
"Of course, you are staying more than one day, right?"
"Probably several days," He explained, "But that doesn't mean that I can stay forever, I have a quest to do, Eternum's quest."
"I know, I wish I could join you, but I would cause more trouble than anything," She sighed and sat next to him in the water, "How did you get this body?" She passed her hand on his back, "And the scars?"
"Long story, not a pretty one either," He sighed as she placed her arm on his shoulders, "You see the large circle one?"
"This one?" She poked under his shoulder blade, "How does one get a circular scar? That seems weird to me, I only have one, and it is a straight line," She showed him her thumb that had a scar diagonally on the side of it, "See?"
"I have straight ones as well, my back is covered with scars, and they never faded away, since I got them at a young age."
"Now you have to tell me how you got them."
"I was a slave boy before, I was put under extreme conditions, heat, exhaustion, hunger and pain from whips and rods striking me."
"Is this why you have this body? Scarred and chiseled?"
"More or less, I am built like this, and before this quest, I worked as a labor man, physical work above all, so, it is normal that I am like this."
"Can you show me some of your strength?" His arm passed under her legs and he stood up holding her on his arm, above the water, his arm was perpendicular to his body, "You are really strong, but, can you put me down now?"
"Sure," He sat back down and left her back where she had been sitting before, "Is that a good show of strength? Or do you want more?"
"How much power does this arm have?" She said feeling up his bicep, "You lifted me straight up without even straining, it's so defined, so manly," He flexed his arm and increased the size of his natural arm, "Stop it, you're not human, this can't be real, I've never seen someone like you."
"But I am real," He laid her on the bottom of the bath, he worried for a second then remember she was Seakin when he noticed her gills under her chest, gills formed on his arm and he moved down onto her and kissed her lips. She pulled him in and locked him down onto her. She seemed to have forgotten he was human, and hadn't seen his artificial gills. She realized it a minute in and let go, pushing him out of the water. She lifted his head out of the water and saw him staring at her blankly, confused.
"Vidian! Why didn't you stop me? You are human, I forgot, are you okay?" She asked worried as he got up and smiled at her. He turned around as the gills began closing, "What are those?"
"Gills that I can make since I can change my arms into anything."
"What?! Is that why you were fine underwater?" He nodded, "You should've told me, I wouldn't have worried," He stepped out of the water, "Do you want a towel?"
"Yeah, where are they?"
"Next to your clothes, a servant put it there."
"What?! When?"
"When we were talking, I told her too."
"Okay, weird, does she think I am, um."
"No, you are a guest, I can treat you like this, we weren't having sex or anything."
"But you want to."
"I never said that," She looked embarrassed he smiled and opened his mouth to speak, "No, no, no, I did, I did, don't say anything, stop, don't say it."
"Why not?"
"Just don't, just don't."
"Why not?" He said drying himself, "I don't understand you."
"I am embarrassed by what I said," She looked down, "I don't want you to repeat it, if it has to be said, I'll say it."
"Okay, no problem," He grabbed his pants and pulled them on, his amulet dangling around his neck. She walked out of the bath and sat on one of the stone benches in the bathroom, as the drops of water slowly dripped off of her body and splashed on the ground, "You never answered my question."
"I am 19 years old," She said smiling, her voice had gone back to its normality and it gently caressed his ears, "Do you have time tomorrow?"
"I have a work to do tomorrow, not something basic either, so I don't know what you want with me tomorrow but maybe after my work, I could help you."
"I want to know more about you, where are you from? Do you have a lover? Have you ever had a lover? Are you married? Were you married? Do you have a family?"
"Slow down, you really are a curious girl," He laughed, "I am from a town near the Great Desert, but the answers to the rest are, no."
"Really? How can you not have a family?"
"My parents abandoned me and sold me to the man who made the circular scar on my back, when I was a child, I never knew them," He shrugged, "But all they are, are bad memories, at least I don't have to look at them, they are behind me."
"Is that a joke?"
"Well, I guess it could've been one," He laughed.
"No, no that, the part about your family."
"Oh, it isn't, it's true, or what I have always heard," He shrugged, "What do you do all day in here?" They walked next to each other. No one disturbed them even if he noticed the want to speak of the few servants they crossed. The blessing Inventaariy had given him made him see through people's minds and even if they didn't speak, he saw what they wanted to do. Tea didn't answer his question as they walked in the near empty of life and, despite the bright colors, dull hallways. Her way of living and her clinging need of affection seemed to be caused by the place she called home, lonely, empty, boring. His hand moved and touched hers, she looked up at him and rolled her eyes gently and held his hand. She pulled him down and whispered in his ear, to avoid the servants hearing them. He smiled and nodded.