Oscairo smiled, slowly walking towards Morn. Morn began to panic, backing away as Oscairo approached. Seeing Morn's nervousness, Oscairo laughed.
"I only wish for a proper greeting, a firm handshake. I don't bite-" Oscairo smiled widely, his jagged teeth on full display, "-Well, I haven't for a few centuries, anyway."
Morn swallowed nervously, slowly holding out his hand. Oscairo approached, giving him a sturdy handshake.
"Now, who might you be? And more importantly, how did you get here? It should be impossible."
Morn stared awkwardly at Oscairo before speaking.
"I am M-m-Morn- nice to... make your acquaintance. As for your- your second question, I don't think I quite understand, sir Lord of Pirates."
Oscairo sat down, a chair appeared beneath him along with a table, a tea set, and another chair.
"Alright M-m-Morn, why don't you take a seat. And don't be so formal, you can just call me Oscairo- After all, I've long given up my title as Pirate Lord. As for my other question, we'll come back to that. First, let us enjoy some tea."
Morn nodded, sitting down across from the pirate.
Oscairo smiled hospitably as he poured tea into two small cups, one for each of them. After stirring milk and sugar into his own, Oscairo leaned back in his chair and stared at Morn.
"So, how was your day?"
Morn stared at Oscairo, stunned. After a moment, he regained his wits.
"Me? Ah well, haha… My day was fine I suppose. I woke up on the beach here- it seems I'd been asleep for several days. I um, thought I would take a look at your castle here and- I guess that's all."
Oscairo nodded thoughtfully then continued:
"Now how did you arrive here, where in the All Sea are you from?"
Morn grew confused. The term 'All Sea' had long been abandoned since the creation of the GMIS, when the All Sea had been renamed to 'Malsata' in remembrance of Malsali, the giant who fractured the continent into the many islands of Malsata. It was only then, that Morn recalled an important fact: Oscairo had disappeared over three centuries ago! With this in mind, Morn grew curious how Oscairo managed to live such a long life.
"If I answer you, may I ask a few questions of my own?"
Oscairo nodded, "By all means."
With his curiosity outweighing his apprehension at meeting such a legendary figure, Morn began to answer the pirate's questions.
"I hail from Yol. I was alone on an island, Yol was too far to reach with my boat. With no other real choices, I followed a vision from my dreams- it led me to a place in Fairjott. There, a giant tree with hands pulled me into itself. I fell unconscious, and when I woke up I was here."
Oscairo leaned forward, seemingly curious himself.
"And how did you make it that far underwater? Arcana, a relic, a vaihn spell?"
Morn shook his head.
"None of those, sir. In fact, I'm not even sure what all of those are. I used Alkimiya gases, though I suppose you don't know what those are- They were invented after your time, in Yol. They are gases formed from arcane materials, the one I used has left me with an unfortunate side effect."
Oscairo raised an eyebrow.
"I've missed quite a bit in the last few centuries, this tree you speak of is an old friend of mine, he wouldn't let just anyone come here. He seems to have taken interest in you. I'll put my trust in his judgement. Tell me, what is this side effect of yours- perhaps I can help."
Morn frowned, he was sceptical of Oscairo and of his intentions. Regardless, Morn figured it couldn't hurt to explain his situation to Oscairo- after all, he didn't have any solutions himself.
"I inhaled a gas called Mirage. It can be breathed continuously at great depths. Unfortunately, it turns into a hallucinogenic gas called Daydream after being breathed repeatedly for a long period of time. If one breathes too much Daydream, they fall permanently under its effects. I now suffer from constant hallucinations, as I must have fallen unconscious for several days with my inhalant mask on."
As Morn finished his explanation, he grew sullen. But his hopes were rapidly perked as Oscairo began to laugh happily.
"My new friend, you are in luck. I have the perfect solution to your problems. After we finish our tea, I will provide an antidote of sorts. Of course, it will come at a price- but worry not, it will be well within your means and even benefit you. I have no more questions, you may ask your own."
A wave of relief rushed through Morn's mind. Though his scepticism remained, he was eager to alleviate the hallucinations. Now calm, Morn began his own round of questioning.
"Where did you disappear to in the second century?"
Oscairo sipped his tea casually, he then chuckled as he formulated a response.
"I'm sure the Storm Pass still stands in the current year, I can still feel its interference even now. Fifteen years after I founded the pirate nation of Palk, I spoke with a mighty being known as Kezwiq. I learned secrets that I cannot repeat to you, if you wish to remain sane, that is. Anyhow, due to this information, I ventured into the Storm Pass without looking back, seeking out great power."
Morn furrowed his brows, pieces clicked together in his head. The Storm Pass… Great power… Morn soon came to a conclusion- Oscairo must have been seeking something in the fabled Land of the Demigods, beyond the storm! Excited, Morn pressed on.
"What happened? Why did you end up back here, why didn't you return to Palk if you failed?"
Oscairo laughed uproariously.
"Who says I failed!? Well I suppose I did, in a way. More accurately, I have yet to succeed! As it stands, the me you are currently speaking with is simply an avatar- a projection of me that exists within the hallucination realm. My physical body is still trapped within the Storm Pass, lost to the great maze of time. Fortunately, I left this avatar as a failsafe; however, I didn't expect that the very seal I used to hide this island would render me unable to leave."
Morn let out a deep breath, leaning back in his seat as he did so. After taking a moment to process the information, he finally continued:
"Three more questions, then I'd appreciate that antidote you spoke of. First, how did you manage to be trapped by your own seal? Second, what did you mean earlier, when you said an old friend of yours took interest in me? And lastly, what do you mean by 'hallucination realm.'"
Having finished his tea, Oscairo stood and motioned for Morn to follow.
"Come, let's go retrieve that antidote. I'll answer your questions along the way."
Morn stood from his chair and followed the pirate, listening eagerly. The table, chairs, and teaset disappeared behind them as the two left the room.
"To answer your first question, that Kezwiq I mentioned is not to be trusted. He was the one who provided me with the method to seal this island, as I'd told him of my plan to create an avatar before entering the Storm Pass. You see, once one enters the Storm Pass, they can never return. I was looking for a way around this- I wished to claim power beyond the pass, and return by descending into my avatar. It seems, however, that Kezwiq was afraid of me. The seal he helped me place on the island also sealed my avatar within it. My own safe haven has become a jail."
Oscairo sighed, it seemed Kezwiq's betrayal affected him deeply. Morn frowned slightly, he hoped to never cross paths with this Kezwiq. As the two entered the stairwell to another floor, Oscairo recovered from his momentary gloom. He continued answering Morn's questions as they ascended the steps.
"As for your second question, I can only tell you what I have guessed. When I ventured into the Storm Pass, I brought an artifact created from the eyes of a skilled Farseer. Deep within the storm, too far to turn back, I received a revelation from this artifact."
As they entered the third floor, Oscairo paused, though his smile had returned, his eyes displayed great sadness.
"My close friend, Balshaar, passed away fighting Tethra, the Levjottyr-dal in control of the curse of Fairjott. In the revelation, I saw his corpse on the ocean floor, a sapling sprouted from his heart, hands growing from it like leaves. I believe, perhaps out of denial, that he is still alive- that he became something after his death, that a part of him remains in that tree you encountered. In life, his ability allowed him to travel far distances, the very ability he must have used to bring you to me."
Oscairo walked to the hallway wall and tilted an oil painting hanging on it. The stones making up the wall retreated, revealing a passageway behind them. Oscairo led Morn into the passageway before continuing his story:
"Before I left for the Storm Pass, I used a portion of his blood when creating the seal on this island, this would allow him to enter after I had gone. It seems that, in his current form, he is still able to use this authority, in tandem with his own ability, to bring people to my island. Hence, why you were able to arrive here, breaking through the seal. The only other way for you to arrive would be if the seal had fallen, and as I am still unable to escape, it must be the first option. Furthermore, Balshaar always had a good eye for talent, so I believe he took interest in you and sent you to my avatar intentionally."
Oscairo continued to lead Morn through the walls of the castle into a secret study somewhere deep within the castle. As he led Morn, who was shocked into silent contemplation by the secrets of centuries past, Oscairo answered the third question.
"For your last question, the hallucination realm is many things. It is a tether between one's body and consciousness, a balance of disorder against the order of reality, and it is the mind of a great existence. The hallucination realm can affect reality, and reality can affect the hallucination realm. The hallucination realm can be ventured into, manipulated, or studied, but one should always be careful. If one peers too far into the hallucinations, they may lose themself to madness. I am sorry, my friend, I cannot tell you any more than that- it must be discovered for yourself, or else I risk your death. Ah, we have arrived."