A few moments later, The Borealis Shipwreck, Tavern
~Landon’s Perspective~
I sit at the bar table, listening to everyone talking to each other while I sit quietly, eating my food while listening. After living on an island with nothing but an old man to keep you company and the graves of your dead parents for 4 months, the bustling atmosphere of the tavern feels surreal.
Three people walk in. From where I’m sitting, I can see their features. One is blond with light skin and the other is dark skinned with black, messy hair. The other one, the oldest by their stature, wears a hood over their head.
I sigh in relief mentally. They don’t seem like Emerald Skull Pirates. That’s good.
They take a seat at the table behind me. A barkeep runs to them to take their orders.
I take a drink from my cup of water. Let’s see what I can learn from their conversation. Maybe they know something about my people.
~Pax’s Perspective~
A plate with fish, meat, and fruit is placed in front of me by a man.
“Tha-nks,” I say. He walks away without a word before I can complete my sentence. Damn, it’s busy in here.
“This ship is the perfect place for all kinds of people,” says Theos. A bowl of steaming soup sits in front of him. “You will rarely find a more diverse place.”
I look at Will. He’s eating something called a hoagie in his hands. He makes eye contact with me.
“What?” he asks. “It’s good.” He takes a bite out of it.
I grab a fork and use it to pick up a piece of fish and put it into my mouth. We eat in silence for a few moments.
“Ok,” says Will. “What did you want to talk to us about?”
Theos smiles.
“First off,” he says. “Thank you for coming here. As for what I wanted to talk to you about, Pax, remember Newground Island?”
“Um… yes?” I respond. Confusion runs through my mind. “Why?”
“Did you see the graveyard and the sign before you explored the island?”
I spit out my water onto the floor.
“Wha-!? How?”
“Don’t be scared,” says Theos. “I could tell when I first met you that you were a naturally curious person. So I believed you would explore the island first before leaving. As I can see, I was correct. Now, did it raise questions?”
“Yes. It did.”
“Please ask them now, although I can’t guarantee that it will go well.”
I look Theos in the eye. I look at Will. He nods, curiosity on his face. I take a deep breath.
“Who’s Acheron?” I ask.
Almost instantly, the atmosphere darkens, the air feels a bit more suffocating. I look around. Everyone else is carrying on as if nothing happened. So why does it feel weird?
Will coughs.
“Did you say Acheron?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I respond. “What’s wrong?”
Theos looks grave.
“A word of advice,” says Theos. “Never mention Acheron in such a way again to other people. It may not go well.”
“Why-?” I begin. Theos holds up his hand.
“Let me explain.
“Before the Age of Seven Seas and long before the days of the Old Seas, the world was, different. The world was more connected by land, huge landmasses dominated the known world. And then came Acheron.
“Legend has it he found something called a blessing. Has William explained the concept of Sea Curses to you?”
“Um…no,” I respond.
“I’m not surprised. Few know about them.
“Sea curses are the physical manifestations of magic. Most magic types have a corresponding curse, although some don’t have one. They are called curses because their wielders are cursed to outlive those they love. There is another type, known as blessings, which are when a god bestows upon you unique powers. Acheron wielded a blessing known as the absorption blessing.
“His greed for power killed many people and eventually, in a fight with a great mage, caused the cataclysmic event that turned the world’s landmasses into islands and created the Dark Sea, an event known as the Fracture.
“He still lives today, and he’s here, in the Seven Seas. He has already killed and taken the curses of Ramses II and other curse users. He was responsible for the mad wizards at Newground Island, having broken their minds, and killed Ramses II and turned him and his army into undead puppets, which you killed. And he is only growing stronger.
“The reason I asked for you here is because I need your help to stop him.”
Me and Will freeze.
“Wh-what?” I say.
“It is a big thing to ask of you, but I have spent my life trying to end Acheron, trying to finish what that great mage started. And the end of my life is drawing near. Your potential is unlike anyone else’s. There is no one more fit for the task.”
I look at Will.
“Give us a few moments,” he says. Theos nods. Will gets up and walks outside. I get up and follow him.
When we get outside, Will turns around and looks at me.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “It does seem like a lot, but at the same time, helping people is the reason we started working together in the first place.”
“But helping him fight Acheron? If even half of the rumors are true, he’s pretty powerful.”
I look out to the horizon.
“You heard what he said though,” Will says after a few moments. “Your potential is something Theos hasn’t seen in anyone else, ever. If he says that about you, then there’s something in you that both of us haven’t seen yet. And I think he has a point.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Well, you haven’t seen other wizards yet, but here’s the gist of it. On average, it takes years of learning for a wizard to be as proficient with magic as you are right now. I mean, you’re already using explosion spells, placing them, shaping your blasts, and sending beams. That level of magic takes years Pax. Years. And you learned to do those things in less than a month. Heck, my older sister was 15 when she finally could shape her blasts. You usually start being able to use magic when you’re 8. And it’s not the guidebook Theos gave you. It’s you.”
I look at William in shock. I’m that proficient in magic?
Whenever I used magic, it was almost instinctual. When I placed an explosion for the first time at Kairo, I remembered the passage in the book and tried to follow its instructions. I didn’t realize it was unusual.
I look out to the horizon. I think about Theos’ words, his stature betraying a weariness, as if he had something heavy on his shoulders, when we were on Newground Island. All he had taught me was how to control and blast my magic as well as release an explosion. That was it.
“I think I’m going to take his offer,” I say. “But I want you to be there with me. You’re my best friend.”
Will grins.
“Alright then,” he says. “Let’s go give Theos our answer.”
Will begins to walk back.
“Hey Will,” I say. “Theos’ is pretty famous, right?”
“Yeah, why are you asking?”
“How famous is he?”
Will goes silent.
“He’s arguably the most famous man in the Seven Seas,” he responds.
I follow him back with that information in mind.
When we get back, Theos is talking to a boy with black hair and light skin.
End of Chapter IV