Adrian believed every single person had meaning. Their meaning wasn't just a purpose or a predisposed natural trait. It was their effect on the world around them. So if someone spent all their time killing, their meaning would be death and if they spent all their time helping, their meaning would be kindness. Adrian had yet to decide on what his meaning should be.

This was what he thought about in bed. He then got out of bed and got ready. He looked around his room to reminisce. This room represents the time from when he was born to the moment right now. When watching it his heart suddenly felt like it burst into flames. The warmth made his whole body feel like it would explode. He took his hand and clasped his chest. He took a deep breath and everything was fine again. He started preparing for his adventure. He went to the chest in the corner of his room. The chest was blue and lined with white on the edges and on the inside of it was most of Adrian's belongings. He took out a long-sleeved white T-shirt and blue pants and put them on. 

He turned to his mirror and got a good look at himself. His body was lean so the only way to notice his muscles was if he were to flex. His hair was short, black, and combed.  His eyes were a light blue like the sky on a cloudless day. As for his face, it was clear, smooth, and white along with being young. He smiled at the mirror. He was always looking at the mirror to check for imperfections. It was like every time he saw himself in the mirror something about him changed. 

  Adrian then went and got two things. A sheath with a sword in it and a sack with all he could carry. He then left his room and went into the hallway.

The hall was a short passage with a small number of rooms on both sides. He walked down the hallway and some stairs. There he came into the living room with two people in it.

He came down to his mother sitting at the table with her dark hair, her small nose, and her gleaming green eyes. She got up and hugged Adrian. She said, "Son, I know you are about to change on your journey but no matter what I'll love you all the same."

The other person in the room was Adrian's father. He was a tall and muscular man wearing a leather coat over a white shirt and loose black pants. He was also wearing black dress shoes and a sword on his belt.

"My son is finally becoming a man and ready to set out on his own and have his adventure." Adrian's dad touched Adrian's shoulders and then butt heads. "Cut the ocean in half my boy."

Adrian smiled and thought how he would miss his father telling him to do the impossible. His father was always over his shoulders cheering him on and commanding him to be the best he could be. "I'll do that but first I gotta leave."

For his last meal, he ate the meat his mother cooked for him and talked and laughed with his parents. He left with a sorrowful goodbye.

As he was going to the harbor he passed many familiar places. He went past the town's cleric's store where the saintly men and women would heal people using the power of their faith, and then the blacksmith shop where the blacksmith would pray and participate in rituals every day to summon forth the boon that would bless his weapons.

Soon Adrian came to the river known as the Sky River. It was there that his journey would start. The river was so massive, that multiple ships could pass through it without touching each other. Adrian was waiting for one of them. While he was waiting he got out a bundle of white flowers with thorns on it. He crushed them and threw them into the waters while saying "I ask Auth the king of the sky and patron of Authoria and protector of man to bless me in my travels and give me the strength to fight my adversaries"

He waited for a while, sitting on the dock, looking at the sky while having thoughts of adventure. As no ships came by, which was odd as there would often be multiple ships coming across to deliver merchant goods to the Aoth and to allow people to travel to the capital, Adrian wondered if he should just travel by foot. He just kept staring at the waters. 

Then something appeared along the stream. It was coming from the south and heading north to the city. Someone was coming and the river itself was carrying them. Adrian could not tell if the person was on top of something or if they rode the waves with some unusual power. 

They came swiftly and as they drew closer Adrian noticed the odd shape of the water beneath the person. The water rose to the sides of the person and lowered under them. This gave the impression of the water forming a sort of boat. 

He stared at the boat as it quickly rushed up the river while he wondered if this was the work of some god or magician. Adrian had never once seen real magic before only weak imitations done by the clerics through prayer and ritual. Yet, in this situation, he saw an opportunity. "Hello sir, can I join you on your ride to Aoth?" 

The waterboat stopped in front of Adrian and the passenger got up. It was a girl with eyes blue like lapis, hair black like a night sky, and clear white skin. She was slim and wearing a sky-blue toga dress and sandals. The first thing she said was "Hello who are you to ask me if you can accompany me to my destination?"

Adrian wondered if he had been impolite."Sorry if I was rude but I needed to get to Aoth so I can start working there."

The girl looked at Adrian and demanded, "Who are you is what I'm asking, I am not  going to let just anyone on my boat."

"I am Adrian Sworn, a traveling workman trained in fighting and multiple skills that require working with the hands such as masonry and carpentry."

"Well, I am Riveria Regalia, the spirit of the river and skilled magic user." With a flick of her hand, the boat turned and floated over to Adrian. "I'll let you come aboard for three tiers."

Adrian handed over three golden-colored coins and then put one foot onto the boat. For a moment, he wondered if his foot would fall right through and he would make a splash in the water but to his surprise and relief, the water felt as solid as the ground. The boat was solid but not frozen and this only raised more questions.

He put his other foot in then sat down in front of her and relaxed. The girl sat down too and the boat began moving again, however much faster than it did before.

Adrian thought it was a good time to ask questions, especially about magic, spirits, and the gods.

"So, how does magic work?" Adrian leaned slightly towards Regalia to hear her better.

"What, you interested in becoming a sorcerer?" Regalia rested her head on her hand.

"No… well maybe if I knew a bit more about magic my life would be easier."

"Well, it would improve at a measly rate at first since humans are not magically talented with few exceptions." Regalia's voice was low and lacked vigor.

"In that case could you please tell me about spirits and the gods.."

  "Magic and spirits are interconnected like the fruit to the tree." Regalia looked over the side of the boat facing away from Adrian.

"Magic being the fruit and the gods being the tree?"

"Sometimes the gods are the tree and sometimes they're a fruit."

"Ah." Adrian felt like none of his questions were being answered which made him think he was asking the wrong ones. 

Adrian went and asked, "What are you going to Aoth for?"

Regalia was sitting up straight on the other end looking at Adrian with a passive face on. Calmly she said, "Well spirits are strong enough on themselves but once they are worshiped and become gods their power increases by a considerable amount."

"So, you're trying to become a god to get stronger?"

"Yes, although I have a purpose for the strength I want to get, it's not just for the sake of having it as you mortals would."

"So, how does going to Aoth factor into becoming a God?"

"It's a good starting place to get the things I need to become a god, like a temple and an oracle."

"Ok."

Adrian took out a loaf of bread and broke it in half, biting into one half while handing the other one to Regalia.

"Oh, my first offering," she said, "could be better but I'll take it." Regalia took the bread and started slowly biting it piece by piece.

By this time they had gone a good distance away from the town to where they couldn't see it anymore. That's when the river got fierce.

The boat rode over wave after wave of increasingly high water, however, the boat had no difficulty not tipping over as it slid up and down the hurdles.

Regalia said, "It's coming, get out your sword!" She stood up and reached her arms out wide, then quickly moved them in a circular motion causing the water around her to rise and encase her and her companion in a bubble.

Adrian didn't know what was happening but he unsheathed his sword just like she asked.

Then it emerged.

From the waters came a beast with a long snout and a mouth that had rows of sharp teeth. It had a black flowing mane and big red eyes with slit pupils like snakes. Its body was serpentine with tentacles sprouting from the sides smashing into the water and causing chaos.

Adrian in a serious voice asked, "What in the gods is that thing?"

Regalia calmly said, "It's a sea drake that has been attacking ships that come along this river."

The waters were roaring and swishing in big tidal waves that moved with the fierceness of an angry god. Andrien's heart sank as the leviathan raised a tentacle and swung it at the boat. The protective casing was able to hold back the attack but not without taking some damage to the bubble. It was yet to be over as the drake continued its assault. One tentacle after another slammed against the bubble. Causing waves and the protection to deform. Adrian's heart raced but he was focused and determined. I will not die now he thought not when the journey has just begun. He then asked, "What do I do?" Regalia followed each tentacle with her eyes only taking a single glance at Adrian before telling him what to do. She said, "Slice one of the tentacles."

  Adrian took his sword and downward-slashed at the last tentacle that had just hit the bubble. It was severed and spewing purple liquid everywhere. The beast screamed and thrashed around at the pain. It was at that opportunity Regalia did an air push and rushed the boat forward and past the beast. They were outside the beast's wrath quickly enough.

Afterward, Andrien sheathed his sword and asked "Did you know that thing was there?" 

Regalia stared into his eyes and said, "I thought everyone knew about the sea monster who came along the river and has been terrorizing the boats. I mean it's hard to miss."

"You still thought it was a good idea to go upstream while a deadly creature was roaming about?"

Regalia shrugged, " My power is the greatest in the river, that is why I am the spirit of the river."

Adrian sat crisscrossed. "Ok, wow, I guess. That was just a bit of an insane moment for me."

Regalia's face was neither frowning nor smiling, it was a straight line from one cheek to another with no more or less meaning than what was displayed. Speaking in a soft voice that felt like some moisture droplets cooling your face on a hot day, she said. "Do you know your own power?"

Adrian's cheeks turned a light pink and he looked down at his hands. "I am a strong swordsman, if that is what you mean, just like my father and his father before him."

"It always amazes me how strong humans can get without magical assistance, I have seen humans chop down monsters twenty times their size through sheer skill."

"Well, hopefully, my strength can get me a job somewhere."

"How about I help you with that?"

"What, do you have a job for me?"

"Well," Regalia paused thinking about how she would say this, "I may need a champion, someone to do tasks that require valor, strength, and discipline."

"Ok, but you're not even a god yet. You have  no followers or worshipers."

Regalia gritted her teeth and glared at him then used magic to splash water onto Adrian. "I give you a chance to recant that."

Adrian, now soaking wet, simply said: "Sorry, I meant what are the rewards of me being your champion?"

Regalia said, "Three magical boons of your choice."

Adrian smiled and said, "Wow wishes?"

Regalia sighed and said, "Magic isn't unlimited so you can't wish for anything and everything."

Adrian tapped his finger to his chin and asked "Well what are the things I could ask for, what are the things you can do?"

"Well, whatever I can't do I will get you from the magic district in Aoth."

"Aoth has a magic district?"

"A lot of places have magical shops that are hidden from the non-magical."

"So…" Adrian thought for a long hard moment. "Yeah, I don't know what to ask for but what does a champion… do?"

"They fight monsters, compete in competitions, and spread the word of the glory of their patron."

"Give me till we reach Aoth to decide."

"Ok."

…

Adrian spent the time after the drake trying to make small talk with Regalia. Adrian talked about how he had brothers who were stronger or better than him in certain areas. He said how he looked up to them and thought of them highly. When Adrian asked Regalia if she had a family she explained spirits don't technically have family members as they are created spontaneously when random events happen in the physical world and not from any form of mating. Adrian pondered how spirits would grow and survive if they had no parents to take care of them when they were younger but his mind was settled when he remembered many animals are born and then immediately abandoned yet still survived to adulthood.

Adrian was distracted by his thoughts but was torn from them when Regalia called out to him saying they had arrived at the city. Adrian sat on his knees and watched the tall white stone walls of the city come closer. His pupils grew and his smile widened. Adrian thought to himself this is the city of heroes.

  They approached the city and passed through its walls and as they passed they saw buildings made of marble and structures carved and chiseled to depict people, animals, and dragons. The people wore colorful garments some of them depicting imagery of horses in the color silver. Adrian's body tingled like there were a million tiny angels tickling him. Regalia on the other hand only glanced at the people around her ignoring the inanimate decorations "Finally we are here."

Regalia steered her boat into the city's docks and Andrien got off first and then pulled Regalia up.

Without a frown or a smile, Riveria  said "I have given you time to consider my offer so what is your choice."

Adrian put both hands behind his head and locked them together "Well I am going, to be honest, it's kinda a conundrum."

Regalia didn't respond all her features were as still as untouched water peacefully uncaring of the things around her until it interacted with her.

"You see." Adrian put his open hands in front of him. "I always wanted to be something important and with impact and I know working for a god is the perfect way to do that."

Regalia's face showed a flicker of something however what it was no one but she knew as it was gone faster than it had come yet in the back of Adrian's brain he thought it may have been a smirk.

"Yet, if you attract sea monsters or who knows what else then can I handle it?" Adrian had a slight frown on his face that made one think of someone who was about to experience something really unpleasant. "Is there any way to know if I can do anything useful?"

Regalia for the first time since Adrian met her smiled and said: "you don't have to start with climbing the mountain all you have to do is first climb the rocks then climb the hills and then eventually you'll get there."

Adrian smiled back but a little bigger than Regalia's and then spoke "We can do it one step at a time?"

Regalia said, "Yes." She patted his shoulder and smiled at him for a little bit.

Adrian finally with a voice charged with energy told Regalia "I'll do it, I'll be your champion and put myself on the line."

Regalia turned with her hair flowing into the wind as she said "This way then."

Adrian followed in pursuit. 

  -To Be Continued