After hearing what the lady said, Nova thought that the gods themselves were assisting him. The odds of a relative of the rumored warrior being in the same town as he was are astronomical. As they walked down the path to Lazuli, Nova pressed for more information from the lady.
"So lady, this rumor actually turns out to be your brother? Are the rumors true, or did they just spin into a fable after being told by so many different people?"
"Well, he's my adopted brother, so it may be best to l, adopted brother really, I guess I should begin there."
"My name is Neretva Riosos, and I come from the Nobel Riosos family of Lazuli. My brother, Mizu Riosos, was adopted when I was very young. Life was idealistic really. Me, my two parents, my older sister, Eupha, Mizu, and our other brother, Shane," Neretva lamented.
"So what changed?" Nova asked, now entranced in the young girl's story.
"Pirates, they pillaged our fair village and in the chaos, my parents were slain, as well as my older sister being paralyzed from the waist down."
"I'm, so sorry to hear that Neretva," Nova attempted to sympathize with the girl.
"That wasn't even the scariest part. When Mizu saw all of that, something had changed in him. He began to cover himself in these strange patterns, and he had grown into something…" She couldn't find the words to describe what she was saying, "well whatever it was, you wouldn't know it was human.
Nova couldn't believe what he heard. In his many years of traveling and fighting, he hadn't heard anything like that before, he was even more excited to attempt to recruit this rumored warrior.
As Neretva said, Lazuli wasn't too far away, and they arrived rather quickly. The fresh smell of the salty breeze hit their noses as soon as they arrived, and the town's houses were as vibrantly colored as a coral reef.
However, Neretva had them walk all the way past the town's main commotion, and towards the coast that bordered it. On the beach, they saw a lush, wooden villa.
Neretva knocked on the door, and to receive it, was a lady, who Nova could tell was the elder sister of Neretva, though with navy blue hair, and using a wheelchair, though the wheelchair sported buoyant wheels to traverse the sand and water.
"Welcome back Nevy! I see you brought some… distinguished company with you as well!" she teased her younger sister.
"Hey Eupha, sir Nova here wants to speak with Mizu, is he home at the moment?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint Mr.Nova, our dear brother isn't home at the moment, he left for a hunting trip, though he should be home soon, you are welcome to wait on the beach for him."
So the four waited for Mizu on the shore, where another conversation began.
"So you two, what is it that you need of my brother?" Asked Eupha.
"Well, I want to recruit him to my team," he looked back at Okami, who was silently sketching in her notebook, "and she's just traveling with me for protection."
Eupha looked saddened at the revelation though, "Oh dear, I don't think Mizu will be going with you Mr.Nova, our dear Mizu is quite fickle, try as you might to convince him, but I do warn you, offer him anything except a-."
Before Eupha could finish her sentence though, the water began to bubble and swirl, and like a tornado tearing through the coastline, the water was tossed high into the air, and one man appeared out the jump.
Nova was amazed. In front of him, was a monstrously large man, bordering on the side of even 7 feet. His skin was chestnut in color, and he had dark blue hair, though his eyes were a piercing teal, making Nova feel like his soul was starting to be frosted over. What was most noticeable however, is the many scars left on his body, or at least where it was visible.
The man wore a white diving suit, sporting Arctic blue, and a light lavender accent. In one hand, he had a hunting weapon, a sharp, sleek spear. On the other, a massive fish that would rival even the man's large stature. There was no mistaking him, it was the fabled warrior he was searching for.
Mizu Riosos
Immediately however, the walking behemoth ignored the two visitors and went to go greet his two sisters
"Nevy, Eupha, I brought this large sturgeon for today's dinner."
The sisters smiled profusely, and Nevretva went to hug their brother.
"Mizu! We have a visitor that came just for you, I'm sure you know him already!"
Though Nova expected a similarly friendly face, when Mizu faced him and Okami, his expression went from one of caring to one of indifference, and maybe even annoyance. It had felt like it wasn't a human staring back at them, but more a predatory animal, waiting to strike.
"Nope, never seen them before, who are you?" Mizu told them quite bluntly, to which her younger sister became very upset.
"Really Mizu? I told you need to stop focusing so much on fishing and actually read something that was a fishing guide. This is THE Nova Galax, the left-hand man of the King of Nexus? Sometimes I wonder if you really live under the seabed."
Nova tried to calm Neretva down, "It's fine, I don't take any offense. But Mizu, I am here in quite an important meeting today. I am finding only the best warriors for one reason, creating a team to protect this world from any threat that comes its way! I've heard many a rumor about your incredible strength, and your sisters have only confirmed that fact!" Nova stuck out his hand for a handshake, "so what do you say Riosos, would you give me the honor of being your leader?"
Mizu though, didn't seem as interested as Nova believed he would be, and when he actually realized that he was done, he just simplified,
"Yeah, no thanks."