Not too long ago I promised myself that I would let nothing stand in my way when it came to my dream. But what I did not expect was for the first obstacle to stand in my way was myself. How bad could your own obstruction be you might ask. Well let me tell you it can be quite bad. I am currently on a small boat in the middle of the ocean with next to no supplies and a cannibal as my only companion.
Needless to say, my start hasn't been so good. As to how I ended up in this particular situation well we're going to have to go a bit back in time to around when the submarine first drop me off.
After leaving Fedondria I was brought to one of the territories of Logelon. More specifically I was brought to Robindale which is an island that is a part of the nation of Logelon. Logelon has many more Islands making up its territory then any of the other countries. This made their focus on shipbuilding a higher priority which inadvertently made them a great naval threat.
While having similarities to Fedondria, Logelon's architecture differs a bit from Fedondria's. Logelon has houses with wooden structures built slightly off the ground that have thatch or tiled roofing. They also have sliding screen doors that's is a part of the style just as much as incorporating different kind of fauna into their homes as well. Though they have this their building still all carry the great works of iron and steam throughout them.
Even their most traditional clothing incorporate marks of the religion of the iron ring in them just as all clothes do. Immediately after arriving and parting ways with my brother's men I did the most basic thing that I needed to do which was find a place to stay. It didn't take me all that long to find an average-looking hotel in a decent place. The room wasn't fancy but it didn't need to be.
Though I was eager for adventure I did not immediately start transcribing what I knew of the map I started that debacle later. After acquiring a place to stay what I did first was enjoy myself.
Between the six months of torture, my escape, my stay at Gregory's home, and the time I spent in the cramped submarine I needed to unwind. If I didn't have a strong and healthy mind then the curse will just manifest that much sooner.
I took the briefcase filled with money everywhere I went because I did not trust anyone else with it. Plus I am a fairly competent fighter not to mention a legacy holder so if anyone wanted to steal from me they were going to find out painfully that such a thing was not easy.
During my long stay on the submarine I found out that I ate more than usual. By that I mean a lot more I ate as much as twelve grown men but I knew that I could pack away even more if I chose. The curse of hunger was true now it was manageable but it would only grow from here on out.
To satisfy this hunger of mine I sought out a restaurant. One that I could stuff myself to the fullest without being judged or any danger to myself. After a little bit I did find a restaurant but I was wrong about the not being judged apart. I sat down on a table meant for 4 people all by myself and had the owner connect a second table to my own just so I could start eating.
When I ate I ate everything I was like a vacuum cleaner that licked every plate clean within a minute of starting before moving on to the next dish. The plates stacked the mountain of food I ordered stacked even higher but my mouth never stopped accepting more food. It's only closed to chew and for the briefest of time breathe. I was an unstoppable consuming monster a few spectators showed up watching the fearsome display of my appetite. I put professional eaters to shame as I only continue to scarf down more food.
As I ate new people join the crowd and others left. watching a man eat his weight in food was fun but it also eventually lost its spark. I wasn't too worried about people suddenly recognizing me just because of this. Not everyone is going to recognize me right off the bat just because I have a wanted poster out. A lot of these people are just civilians and don't really care about any of that stuff. What I have to be more careful about is the more seedy individuals and law enforcement.
That's being said I continue to eat without care and as I reached out to grab a piece of mutton my hand touched another greasy palm. I could tell just with a touch that these were the delicate fingers of a woman. I thought of the waitress either taking away a few of my dirty plates or bringing me more food. But when I rose my head I saw that it was a petite women. She had a curvy athletic figure with a moderately-sized bosom.
Her thick black hair was tied in a bun on the back of her head. She had large dark blue eyes and a smooth delicate face that's made her look like a doll. The light spattering of freckles on her face made her more cute. Though she wore spandex for pants, paired nicely with scuffed up faux boots, and a one piece purple crop top as a shirt. She gave off the vibe of a country girl a long way from home.
When our hands touched we locked eyes. It was then when I looked into her two blue spheres that were as deep as the ocean. I knew this woman was a bloody fucking thief. Her cheeks were as swollen as a chipmunks. When I caught her she stood still as though staying like that would make her invisible to me. Though her body stood still and she stared at me deeply with their eyes her mouth never stop moving. She chewed faster in a bid to swallow the evidence before I can make her spit it out.
It appeared as though she struggled to swallow that much food in her mouth all at once because she nearly choked on it breaking her still silence as she struck her chest repeatedly to make the food go down faster. She even took a large gulp of my drink at the end to make sure it all washed down her gullet. My lip and eye switched from the absurdity of what I had just witness. My last straw was when the woman snatched the meat I had in my hand.
I clamped down on the meat with a vice grip before it's fully left my hand. I struggled to pull it forward as the woman inched it closer into her mouth. I did not know why this woman was so strong it could have just been her hunger giving her super strength. Either way I did not want to lose my food it to her.
Me knowing full well that her getting a nibble out of this mutton was inevitable I could at least limit to how much she got out of it. Springing from my seat I leaned in and sunk my teeth into the meat just as she did. Both of us had a hand and a leg on the table as we leaned onto the table biting into the single piece of meat. Our faces were inches apart the only thing keeping our lips from touching was the mutton in between us. Though that was the case there was nothing romantic about this situation. We were both close enough to kiss each other but I'm pretty sure that if that mutton was not there we would have ripped each other's lips off.
Other people saw this and weren't really sure how to process this. It wasn't eating nor was it fighting it was more like two ravenous beast tearing into a single piece of meat. By the time there was no more and meat left on the bone I knew I had won. regaining my composure I dropped the bone on the table and I asked outright, "who are you?".
The strange woman gave me a cute smile and though her lips were smeared with grease it didn't in any way hamper her charm. Though she might have been able to sway other men with her charms it didn't work on me. My heart belongs to history and the only thing that gets me hard now is the sense of adventure."I'm June thanks for the meal handsome. Invite me again next time".
"Invite, I never invited you to begin with you thief".
My words had no effect on her, she scampered off while I bet not even paying attention to the words I said. left alone and dumbfounded as everyone else in the restaurant I took stock of the damages she calls to me. I calculated she ate at least 10 plates worth of food before I caught her. How she snuck in and ate so much that quickly without me knowing I don't know all I know is this was never going to happen again.
The following day it happened again repeatedly every time I went out to eat she wasn't there eating my food and dashing off not paying a single dime for any of it. I don't know why this happened but she was clearly stalking me. Not really actively but she always spotted me as an easy mark when I went out to eat. I don't know if it was because she thought I had a lot of money or if it's because I always ordered a lot of food but she always came and she always ate.
I honestly didn't really even minded. Though the amount she ate would make a normal person cry. I somewhat enjoyed her company even if it was just to leech off me. I was alone on this adventure currently and I was going to be alone for a long time. This strange woman at the least made things a bit less lonely for me even though she never spoke to me without her mouth full.
Though this whole side of adventure of mine was nice it was honestly just an excuse not to work on the map. I wanted to complete it I knew how I knew that I could recreate every line without flaw. But doing that I meant that I had to think back if it meant I had to think about him. He was always there every time I try to recall his face his cold hands strangling me tighter as I wanted air.
Though he wasn't here Zephyr guarded his King's secrets well. He lived inside my head he showed me horrible things he made me relive every waking moment of what he had done to me. That's why I kept resisting kept finding excuses to not move forward. "It's just a break" I said "I deserve a rest". I said that three weeks ago for three weeks I have been on this island, in this insignificant town, living in this shitty fucking inn.
I go out to feed that starving stranger every now and again but that's about it. There's been no progress, not an ounce of willingness to step forward. Five days now I have stayed locked in my room scared of my own shadow. Though I knew it wasn't this room had become my prison cell. It is there I waited on the floor expecting his return. The sound of footsteps past my door brought a feeling of elation equivalent to ecstasy but it's also brought fear, the fear of pain, death, and the fear of the unknown.
The unknown of when he will come again, when the pain will finally start, when will it stop, and when he will abandon me.I cried that night just as I cried the many nights prior. I thought myself strong, I thought myself ready, but I had been hiding a dark truth that I did not want to face. I am not a free man as much as I want it to be. I am owned by another, Zephyr owns me he owns my life and without even saying a word he is controlling my actions and dictating how I live.
I hate to admit this but I made a mistake. I shouldn't have spied on the king, I shouldn't have garnered Zephyrs interest, and I definitely shouldn't have left Gregory side as soon as I did. I had just escaped from 6 months of hellishly brutal torture at the hands of zephyr. I looked fine but I was not, my spirit has been eaten away. The dream I clung on to was nothing more than fragments of a memory I took hold of to keep me sane.
There was no easy way to get around this there was no right way either. So that night in my despair I took my suitcase and went to the bar. I vowed long ago to always control myself and never resort to this but I was honestly too far gone.
I walked through the busy streets of the city at night. My steps were slow they dragged behind me heavy with the burden in my heart. In my despair the world seemed bleak I didn't even notice as June was pulling the same scam as she did on me with other people. I didn't notice her but she noticed me she saw my hollow eyes and she saw my despair. It was as though she was the only one who noticed my state of mind. I was invisible to the world just another face in the crowd a man not a legend or one ever destined for greatness.
I walked into a dingy bar that I found and sat down. The seat was sticky, the air smelled of smoke, and the men smelled of what they drink. The bartender was a old chubby man with hair on his arms. The bald patch on his head shined unlike his apron that's was smudged with all kinds of stains and look like it hasn't been washed in forever.
Bartender looked at me and asked, "what can I get you".
To that, I replied," I don't care what it is as long as it doesn't taste like piss and the cup isn't dirty I'll drink anything".
"You're asking for quite a bit there aren't you. For a bit extra I can find you a clean cup. I'm not sure what I can do about the piss water though it's kind of all we serve". The bartender had himself a nice laugh before adding "I'm just messing with you, here you go".
The bartender poured Nathaniel a stiff drink. Nathaniel drink it like water and demanded another. One after the other a glass was filled and emptied almost as quickly. That Night Nathaniel broke his vow to never drink more than three glasses of alcohol at any given time. Nathaniel made this vow a long time ago not so much for himself but for the sake of others because Nathaniel knows that he is a mean drunk.
The more Nathaniel drank the less he started thinking. Nathaniel's world view has been narrowed it was just him and his drink nothing else mattered. So when Nathaniel was cut off it's didn't go over that well with him.
"Hey, I said hey, you listen to me. I said you're cut off. you had enough drinks to down a horse. Pay up and go home you can drink your sorrows a way tomorrow".
The bartender's words didn't really get through to Nathaniel he just tapped the bar table with his finger again expecting his to drink to be filled. The bartender frowned at this and didn't oblige Nathaniel.
"I ain't going to give you another drink. so, just pay up before I have to rough you up a little and kick you out here".
The bartender's words were ignored by Nathaniel again but this time he spoke,"drink".
The bartender shook his head, " damn it, this man's brain been fried I knew I gave him one too many".
The bartender attempted to snatch the glass away from Nathaniel but the grip on it was too strong. Just as before he blankly tapped the table demanding another drink. But this time as the bartender tried to rip the glass from Nathaniel's hand his arm brushed up against Nathaniel's. This sudden sensation of skin on his own made Nathaniel's skin crawl and reflexively reach out and grab the bartender's arm.
Nathaniel's grip broke the bartenders arm with a clear snap. The bone fragments crunched together under his fingers into a fine powder.
The bartender's sudden deathly howl garnered the tension all the other patrons in the bar. These people got up from their seats looking ready to stop Nathaniel who was attacking the bartender but they all suddenly froze when they did. A cold sweat ran down each of their backs as they felt something. This feeling emanated from Nathaniel but they all felt it from the deepest parts of their soul.
This was more than just blood lust. They felt the gaze of a predator even though Nathaniel never once looked at them. Without even meaning to Nathaniel put a stop to everyone in the bar.
With Venom in his voice Nathaniel said coldly to the bartender," you want to control me, you want to break me don't you. No, I will not let that happen. I love you too but you never give me the chance to show you. let me show you how much I love you.".
With tears in his eyes Nathaniel's other hand transformed into webbed fingers with shining red scales and sharp black half a foot long fingernails. Everyone in the bar saw Nathaniel transformation as clear as day. The other bar men wanted to speak they most of all wanted to run but couldn't under whatever force Nathaniel emitted keeping them at bay. The only person who could move and speak was the bartender who had his arm crushed and whose face was inches away from Nathaniel's razor sharp claws.
"M-monster, monster he bears the curse of the sea someone kill it, kill it, he not a man anymore... awe".The bartender's words were ended with a painful scream as the claws dug into his skin and sliced apart his face. He did so slowly just as slow as Zephyr did when he cut him. He wanted him to experience the pain he wanted Zephyr to feel his pain.
As this was happening the bartender who was in complete agony knew he was not going to be saved he could only save himself. So while flailing his arms he reached for the gun under him. It took him a little bit to find it by feel alone but he found it and when he did he unlock the safety and opened fire on Nathaniel.
The bartender got a few good shots and three bullets landed on Nathaniel's body before Nathaniel swung the bartender around with his broken arm and threw him out of his own bar onto the street. His body crashed through a window and was in full view in the street in front of everyone. The bartender screamed in an ungodly amount of pain as he desperately asked for help and told other people of the monster inside his bar.
This event freed the other customers from whatever was holding them down before allowing them to scurry about in a bid to get away from Nathaniel. Nathaniel didn't stop them he instead used the fresh blood seeping from his wounds to grab another bottle of alcohol from the top shelf and downed it where he sat.
"Nothing goes my way, nothing ever goes my way. I didn't mean to do it, I don't want to hurt anyone. I want to help people with what I do but what I do only seems to hurt more people. This is so foolish why did I do this I could have done something different maybe even convince the king to have supported my Adventures since he wasn't all that interested in killing me even when he found out.
But Lothar was there God I hate that man. I should kill him yes if I could have just killed Lothar then none of this would have happened. Ugh, what am I talking about how would this solve anything. it's your fault, everyone was living happy lies then you came in and ruined it all. But is it really my fault if Zephyr never caught me then none of this would have ever happened?
Well maybe if you weren't so shit at sneaking around then none of this would have happened either. You know how did I get caught? Because it makes no sense I know I did not make any noise I was good at sneaking around as a kid. Ugh, what am I even talking about I'm just going on a ramble about random things. For God's sake think Nathaniel think".
As Nathaniel's mind ran rampant making him more indecisive with each passing moment things were getting more lively outside. The bartender was dragged away to a hospital and the local Pugs were brought into deal with the matter. having a God's chosen on hand for every matter is impossible but normal people can kill people like Nathaniel so long as they put in enough effort.
As Nathaniel sat in the bar the growing noise and flashing lights were irritating him. It made drinking here impossible. With a painful headache Nathaniel sat up from the bar and sauntered out the door.
Before the door even opened they felt him every guard sent in to kill him and every passerby brave enough to watch the events unfold. They all felt it the approach of an alpha predator. Though all the guards had years of training and experience their hands still shook in an uncontrollable burst of fear. Their throats went dry and sweat clung to their clothes. Once they opened the door first thing any of them notice was Nathaniel's eyes glowing red in the dark. They cried out a deep hunger, they craved a chase, but above all they crave for the appearance of a worthy foe.
The guards open fire once they saw the red of Nathaniel's eyes. They need not know more information then that he was their target no question about it. As the bullets ripped forward into the air towards Nathaniel a strange thing happened. Though there were a dozen guards firing upon him not a single one could find their mark.
Nathanial was like an elusive phantom to their bullets. He moved with an impossible fluidity with his body. It wasn't that he was blindingly fast the problem was that their attacks were pathetically predictable. Nathaniel's mind was hampered by all the alcohol allowing his instincts to take over his body. Though over a dozen men and woman were firing upon Nathaniel Nathaniel's instincts told him that there was no threat here. This situation couldn't even get his blood to boil. So as though he were strolling through a park he walked off under the gaze and gunfire of dozens of people. Though Nathaniel peacefully walked off the Pugs still gave chase.
Nathanial instinctively found this annoying they were like ticks nipping on his butt. Just parasites that did not know the power contained inside the great beast whose ire they garner.
Blood seep from Nathaniel's spores mixing with the air and became a blood mist. This mist rose and spread throughout the area very quickly. All those inside the blood mist felt their skin fester and itch. The itch started small but when it started it could not stop. More and more they scratched they scratch too remove the worms wriggling under their skin. They scratched until their nails peeled back their flesh and then continued till there was only bone.
As screams of anguish filled the night air Nathaniel continue to walk off with his suitcase in hand and no destination in mind. The further Nathaniel walked the further the blood mist spread. This could have gone on for a long time if it could have spread throughout the whole city killing countless people but just at the start of his journey Nathaniel was stopped by June."Stop doing this, please this isn't you. I know you're a nice person. So I know that you won't like finding out about what you've done once you've sobered up, so snap out of it, will you".
Nathaniel stopped with a look of confusion as he said," what's this so the little pig thief can talk that's new. Now all it needs to do is fly that way it can feed off the backs of some other hard-working people. Go away I don't got any food for you. You want something well I don't got anything worth taking. I don't have anything left to give. You took everything you took everything from me. How much more do you want from me? I never get handed anything, so why do you keep taking from me? ".
June had a look of sympathetic sorrow on her face as she said," Your not talking about me are you. I know you don't mean that your heart aches in pain every time you speak. even if you're in a delirious state you're still in there the nice guy who always kept me company. You're not some senseless killer and you haven't been completely consumed by the curse yet either. So, let me help you".
Nathaniel shook his head disagreeing as he moved forward, " move away".
"No". June said.
As Nathaniel walked forward his nails elongated they were primed and ready to rip June 's throat out. Just as Nathaniel stepped forward once more and swung his claws at June, June unexpectedly struck back hard. June ducked under Nathaniel's claw attack and counter hooked punched Nathaniel in the chest. This was not a light blow dealt buy a petite woman. This was a blow that caved in the Nathaniel's chest and cracked two of his ribs. Blood rocketed out of Nathaniel's mouth as he spat it on the floor.
He wheezed as he found it difficult to breathe. The blow did some minor damages to his lungs but it was nothing to worry about. Because that punch awakened a dormant beast inside of Nathaniel. This beast craved a good fight against someone strong and it finally found someone that can make its blood boil. Nathaniel stretched himself forcibly popping his bone back into place as the puffed out his chest.
Large amounts of steam rose from the chest cavity showing the healing process has begun.
Nathaniel let out a primal roar as he charged towards June. June punched forward and met Nathaniel's fist with her own. Their fists sounded like two mortar shells colliding. The air shook intensely as the two continued to clash in an intense barrage. June held her own against Nathaniel but with great difficulty. She found Nathaniel blood to be incredibly difficult to deal with. It ate away at her flash with each drop of blood that landed on her.
With each attack inevitably drawing more blood June knew that without a doubt if this was a fight of endurance she would definitely lose. Only a quick fight settled within a minute would how have any chance of winning against Nathaniel. so that's what she aim for she went all out as she put her back into it striking Nathaniel true each time. Her attacks rattled Nathaniel bones and shook his organs.
Nathaniel instinctively use his scale armor to softened blows and parry June's attacks. Though this was still difficult June's punches ripped small pieces of Nathaniel scales off. Her attacks pack so much power fully stopping her punches was nigh impossible. Though this was true June was on the fence Nathaniel nearly ripped out her guts twice she had the inch deep claw marks to prove it. June tired of Nathaniel's long claws waited for him to come at her again and grabbed his wrist where she then twisted it in an angle forcing Nathaniel forward as she broke his hand.
Nathaniel flung forward onto the ground giving June a perfect opportunity to slam her foot into the back of Nathaniel skull. Her foot dribbled Nathaniel skull onto the ground like a basketball as it cracked the pavement. But Nathaniel wasn't down from that.
Nathaniel clawed at June's ankles with his still good hand. June seeing this coming stomped on Nathaniel's good hand and brought her left fist right down on Nathaniel face. This blow left a crater in the pavement but in the fight was still going.
Broken hand or not he spun around on his back struck June on her side with his legs. June was forced back a few feet giving Nathaniel enough time to get back up. Again Nathaniel came rushing at June his mind's still hampered by the alcohol letting his instincts run wild. it didn't matter how June struck Nathaniel he would not go down easily. If Nathaniel was in control he would have pulled back and ended the fight after receiving too much damage but his instincts urged him forward.
It believed only one of them could survive so it would keep fighting pushing ever forward until one of them perished. June thought she could end this fight in a minute but now she believed that this may be her last fight ever if she doesn't pull out all the stops and stop holding back. In the dead of night there was a sudden blinding flash of light it was as though the sun rose a quick look what make others think that the sun had risen another and you would see that it had not only risen but was falling down towards the earth with an unstoppable force.
*Boom*
A massive explosion erupted in the middle of the town. A mini earthquake shook the homes of those who lived near bye, the shockwave from explosion shattered countless windows, buildings were toppled over, and after the end of the fallout, anyone could see a massive half a mile wide crater in plane view.
By the time morning came the source of the explosion was long-ago gone. Those two were on a small boat in the middle of the ocean drifting out to nowhere.
***
And that's the recap on how I got into the mess I'm currently in. I blacked out for a good portion of that story but I filled in the blanks from hazy memories and what I was told by the cannibal I am sharing this very small boat with. I say very small because there's never enough distance between you and a cannibal and I call her a cannibal only because well I'm currently missing my left arm and when I woke up I saw her eating it.
Needless to say this was not a very pleasant morning for me. Hangover aside I couldn't see this getting any worse. Oh, who am I kidding of course it can because not only did we set out sail with barely any provisions but we're also completely lost without an island in sight? I'm not entirely sure what I did to piss off the god of steam but, oh boy is he mad at me.