The Historian shifted his posture, the white silk of his Hermit cloak waved gracefully as he moved. Seeing Skadi's genuine expression, he glanced at her as if he had been a grandfather whose grandkids had just visited him.
In a sense, it made him excited. Yet, he could not express it.
He glanced around Skadi and stared at her crew members. Recognizing each and every one of them, he expressed his words with admiration.
"Galkan, my friend.."
"Reid, the mysterious."
"Jones, the kind doctor"
"Elishia, the great cook."
He straightened his posture and leaned forward, "Our meeting has long been overdue, how are you all?"
For a few minutes, they exchanged pleasantries, telling stories of their own and the glory of being a pirate of the seas.
Galkan, the bulky man, felt familiarity with the Historian as their friendship dates back to their childhood. He paced forward and reached towards the Historian's shoulders and gave it a tap.
After the casual conversations, the Historian scolded Skadi due to her persistence.
"I advised you not to go to Poseidon Depths yet didn't I?", he gazed at her direction.
"I apologize, but I couldn't hold myself back. The secret of my ritual lies within those waters, I've fully mastered the strata of Acumen and have reached a limit in my Flourish. For years, I have been at this level and I long to grow stronger.", Skadi protested.
The Historian, listening to her qualms, protruded a strict tone, "Still, child, Poseidon Depths is not one to trifle with. Poseidon is an ancient Dreadspawn that carves Dread even to the heart Empyreans! If you didn't have my protection then you would've succumbed to Dread in a mere second!"
"I understand, but-"
"No more reasoning!"
Like a child being scolded, Skadi could not help but close her mouth and internalize her own protests. After giving a heavy sigh, she calmed herself down and brought up another topic.
She faced Cetas' direction, and asked the Historian:
"Why have you not woken him up yet?" She said in an inquisitive tone.
The Historian opened his mouth but closed it once more. Only by formulating his answer for 2 seconds did he reply to Skadi, "I couldn't. He.. is a peculiarity. A being born in the depths who has utmost uniqueness. Even in my life, I have yet to see a Depth-dweller in person. I've known of their existence but it is but a myth to assume that one would be exposed to such a being."
The Historian adjusted his gleaming glasses.
"But now, you have brought one of the wonders that I consider in this world. And to my surprise, he.. holds a unique proposition that affects even the Metaphysical world - albeit only minor. I have tried to examine his mind yet no memories nor remembrances linger.", the Historian breathed a deep sigh, "Except for one word."
Skadi, hearing his declaration, squinted her eyes in curiosity. In her mind, she contemplated the very thing that made the boy faint.
"Aegir."
Her fellow crewmmember's eyes widened in surprise.
The Historian grinned, "Right you are.."
Skadi brought her thumb towards her chin, "But how could that be? Is it coincidental that the name of our crew matched with the very thing that lingers in his mind?"
"It is possible, coincidences are a concept of the world, child. However, this is quite peculiar even as a coincidence.", the Historian stood up and walked over to Cetas.
With his weary old bones, he kneeled and examined his figure.
"I gazed upon him in the Metaphysical Plane and saw.. nothing.", he glanced up and stared Skadi directly in the eyes, "this boy, this depth-dweller of myth, he has no Soul."
"That isn't possible, if he were to have no Soul then how is his physical body moving? I even had the chance to speak with him even with the divergence in language.", Skadi, in a puzzled manner, raised concern.
"My knowledge is not limitless, child, even I do not know the mysteries of the world, only the surface of it.", he scoffed, "Perhaps his body has been reanimated by an external force, or perhaps he lives only with will driving his very core. Due to the lack of evidence, we cannot make any assumptions, especially when a case as peculiar as this has emerged."
Elishia, who was staying silent on the sidelines, suddenly raised a query, "Then, what shall we do?"
The Historian gazed at her direction and addressed her inquiry, "We'll see. For now, we shall wait. Also-", he faced back at Cetas' unconscious body and tapped his forehead lightly with two fingers, "There, he should have an easier understanding of Heliosian language. Should he ever wake up hours from now, he will comprehend your words and mine. Although I've only given him access to Heliosian, learning Verdigian and the others would require his own efforts."
It's that easy?! Skadi inwardly complained, feeling unjust due to her desperate efforts for understanding. Still, from the start, she already knew that the Historian could easily do this, so the thought of unfairness lingered for no more than 10 seconds.
With a light bow, she expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, The Historian."
"Pah! Save it for later.", The Historian rolled down his white hood, revealing his elderly face filled with wrinkles, "I haven't had any visitors for a long time. Skadi and the others, you all can stay at my farm for a couple of days while you figure things out. Also, don't forget about the hunt, you may plan your steps ahead. Once ready, I can send you all back to the port."
"Then what about him?", this time, the white-haired man, Reid, asked nonchalantly while pointing at the unconscious Cetas.
The Historian scratched his head and answered:
"I'll figure something out."
"Alright."
He raised his right arm and gestured to snap his fingers. However, he abruptly stopped when his two fingers touched. Seeming like a light bulb appeared atop his head, the Historian spoke once more, this time in the tone of a needy old man.
"I just remembered. Skadi, and the others, you are all obliged to doing chores and taking care of the farm in my stead. This will serve as your payment for me saving you. Alright?"
"As you wish."
With that, The Historian parted his fingers and a casual snap resounded. Immediately, the whitescape dissolved and the Historian was back at the secluded hut, in front of his antique door.
In the distance, figures rose up and were bewildered by the sudden warp in reality. Then, as they adjusted, they scanned the surroundings and locked in towards the sight of the secluded hut, making their way towards it slowly.
Appearing as a weary old man, the Historian gave a warm grin and welcomed the five, "Come in, and make yourselves comfortable. It's late and you all should get some sleep."
*
In the morning, Cetas somberly woke up, a faint and warm light radiating his black-onyx scales. He examined his surroundings, seeing vintage furniture and ancient ornaments sitting atop tables, and shelves.
On the ceiling, a brown and dusty candelabra hung, adorned with white glass covering the candlelights and chains rowing down the edges.
Cetas straightened his body and ascended from a bed where he lay upon. Then, hearing distant mumbles outside an antique door, he slowly paced towards it and rotated the handle in a clockwise manner.
To his surprise, the individual he saw first was the black-haired doctor, wearing casual clothing that consisted of a loose-fitting shirt and comfortable trousers. The doctor noticed the sudden occurrence and stared in the direction of Cetas, his eyes filled with adoration mixed with slight wariness.
He walked towards him and examined his stature carefully, as if he was checking his condition. Then, after 20 or so seconds, he took a step back and mumbled in a peculiar tone, "You seem to be doing fine.."
Unbeknownst of the recent developments, Cetas froze in confusion. Somehow, he could understand the words of surface-dwellers. Not only that, but it seemed that a hint of comprehension struck his head with a general amount of information.
Only after realizing this, Cetas immediately kneeled to the ground and held his temples in pain.
"Oh- there it is - the side effects.", the doctor remarked as if he had anticipated this already.
Again with the strange words! I can understand them but.. it feels so weird! Cetas complained in his mind. Then, he deemed that he needed time to get used to this situation.
As 2 seconds passed, Cetas heard a strange footstep enter the hall outside his room. He could not quite see what the individual looked like but his peripheral vision captured the individual's appearance.
An old man, with round glasses? He questioned but could not keep a thought straight due to the pain in his temples.
Suddenly, a voice entered his ears, belonging to the old man with round glasses.
"Worry not, child, the pain will dissipate very soon. It seems that I have not properly introduced myself.", the old man adjusted his glasses, "I am the Historian, otherwise known as the Aegir Pirates informant and intelligence."
"It is truly a great honor to meet you, Cetas of the Depths.."