CHPT 417: A Field of Stars.

Hours had passed in a blur of new experiences and fears after Cassidy had purchased a boat and they'd hit the waters. It was a bizarre experience. As unstable as Claude's life was-- it had never been as unstable as it was on the water. Physically speaking. He'd never been on water-- he'd never felt the response of his movements in such a way. Swaying and rocking as if he was walking the line of a tightrope and it's movements were delayed-- slowed. So heavy.

He kept himself busy in spite of his aversion to the waters-- boat riding to be exact. With his Nature Element, he called for and built upon the life energy within the wooden confines of their boat, expanding and reinforcing portions to make the boat into something more formidable for their style of travel. A few times he'd almost sent them under from unbalanced developments and platforms that left them rocking back and forth like a pendulum. But after an hour of hard work, he'd made something of their mode of travel. Something actually worth the amount of coin Cassidy put down for the wooden buoyant shoe. He'd have to find a way to pay him back.

And with that, all they could do was wait. Wait and--

"Uaghhhhh!!!!!!!" Claude yelled out as he dry heaved over the side of the boat. The sails rising dozens of feet above him rippled in the wind and failed to hide the hideous sounds.

He continued that way for another few minutes, his stomach clinching and convulsing like a twisted muscle trying to throw up the remains of Lizardman and snake in his stomach. But, as usual, his body wouldn't allow it. Similarly, to that of Rats.... he suddenly wondered if he had Rat in him as he watched the waters pass by infinitely below him.

Did Romulus see something in Rats...? Was there a Rat Variant?

"[You're losing your mind at sea. Wonderful.]" Arne commented.

Frosty huffed beside him seemingly in agreement as his massive paws struggled to stay gripping the ledge of the boat.

"I lost my mind way before I stepped in this fuck ass boat." Claude growled while wiping the spit from his lips. Frosty nudged him with one of his tusked fangs in support. Claude nudged him back playfully.

"[You built the damn thing.]"

"Upgraded. I upgraded it." Claude corrected as he pushed himself off the ledge and stood up.

The boat rocked faintly in response to his movements. But for the moment that's not what he focused on. At the back of the boat, Ursula and Cassidy stared while manning the sail and looking over the supplies. They stood on the polished wooden floors with a calmness he was ready to pray for.

"What-- You guys been on water before like this?" Claude asked.

"Yes." They both replied flatly.

"Of course you did--"

RMBLRMBL!

Claude was interrupted by something hitting the bottom of their boat, he spun around to watch the waters and found the tail end of a fin disappear in the dark ocean depths. The boat rocked as he activated his Natural Vision to peer into the world below.

Blacks and greens. Just like always, but the greens had new shapes. The boat, now given bladed wooden fins, pockets full of seeds, and other natural weapons that aided in their speeds remained the same as legless swimming shapes and figures bolted through the expansive ocean area to flee their approach. Further out and deeper below, larger shapes meandered around innocently, looking for easy food-- relaxing, coasting. No threats. At least not now, his Natural Vision's range didn't make up the whole of the Tendread Sea. Even if he wished it did.

"All good?" Ursula yelled out to him.

"For now. I think I should place some more seeds below-- maybe some inside the ledge. Maybe we need more repellant. Ursula, can you drop the temperatures of the water around our boat, it might keep certain aquatic species away from us since they're not suited for extreme cold." Claude rambled.

"Aye aye, captain. " Ursula replied jokingly before she handed whatever she was holding to Cassidy and stepped down the slim row of steps to reach their joke of a lower deck.

"Always good to have a paranoid man in the group. They only get worse as the crew gets more relaxed. A pain in the ass, but a necessary one." Cassidy remarked before waving Claude over, "Come talk to me, wolfman."

Claude headed for the upper deck, as he passed Ursula, he felt a hand hit his backside that caused him to jump and rock the boat once more.

"...He-- Fuck!"

Ursula chuckled, "Relax, coolface. We're still in shallow waters. Don't get yourself worked up, for all we know Megalodon's can smell fear above surface."

"I'm.... I'm just making sure we're properly prepared. I'm relaxed." Claude replied defensively.

Ursula had her back to him, but he could feel her smile as she leaned over the boat, holding her hands above water as icy magics fell from them in the form of snowy winds, "Your glutes said otherwise!"

Claude rolled his eyes and joined Cassidy.

The Bounty Hunter abandoned his hood and let the evening winds run through his gelled hair as he beckoned for Claude to come closer.

The upper deck rumbled and shook in unison with the hollowed-out floor beneath filled with poorly tied down supplies that shook with the running waves below. They were in a rush.

"Here's our path. Simple, quick. And we don't have to wade into waters as deep as some of the women I've met in bars, you know?" Cassidy said while passing Claude the map with a wolfish smile on his face.

".....What?" Claude questioned while taking the map.

Cassidy shook his head with a look of disappointment, "Nevermind."

The map was simple-- archaic. Writings and symbols carved into a sheet of dried out hides laid over one another for more thickness and weathering resistance. It's back was lined with a sheet of plain leather. It was thick, heavy. And it mapped out nearly all of the Tendread Sea coming off the coast of Camaco and New Gloria. He could even the see the beginnings of The Republic of Tierra Primazon that lay south of New Gloria. An advanced land crawling with Primals and Wild Elf infested Rain Forests.

All along the coasts, deadzones and lines ran across the waters marking depth levels with each named after it's strongest sea creature. Starting with The Salmon Level and ending with Abyssal Mosasaurs. He was thankful they were closer to the Salmon. Alongside the markings of depth levels and deadzones, marked Tangents were scribed into the hide map. Ranking all the way from D to S. No Mythic thankfully. At least not near them....

There was only one problem. Halfway across their journey that looked like a half circle--a rainbowing leap, from Camaco to the northern coasts of the Angelos District, a deadzone sat like a black pool in the center of the ocean map. A Blackgush carcass. High level. Over eighty feet long. Partially devoured. That in itself would rupture the ocean depth rankings for miles.

"Detours were inevitable, don't worry, partner." Cassidy explained without looking at him.

"Right...." Claude replied.

For a moment they stood in the silence, watching the waters, studying the area beyond until Cassidy spoke again.

"You're still uncomfortable around me, huh?"

"Wh-- No. I'm uncomfortable on this boat." Claude replied while rolling up the map.

"Bullshit."

Claude looked at him.

"I mean sure, that can be part of it-- but you haven't looked at me since yesterday." Cassidy explained.

"[No use avoiding it.]" Arne cut in.

"Well, what the fuck? You expect me to be normal? After what you told me?.... You want me to change you."

Cassidy laughed calmly, "I'm well aware of what I want, but at the end of the day, that's all it is. Wants and desires. They're like assholes, everybody has em."

"You literally could've used so many other comparisons..." Claude mumbled as the boat rocked.

Cassidy shrugged, "Maybe. But my point stands. For now, what I want is simply what I want. All I ask for now is that you consider, but don't let it throw you off your game, wolfboy. That's when mistakes happen..... and that can't happen here. Remember what I said...."

Claude didn't speak.

Cassidy threw his arms up, motioning to the whole watery world beyond, "You have the potential to be bigger than all this-- hell, everybody on this boat, can make something of themselves beyond Demons and running from The Nine. Just keep your head on straight, huh?"

Claude nodded.

"Thanks Cassidy."

***

Another handful of hours passed afterward with Claude and Ursula learning the art of spear fishing. After failing a few thousand times, his Accuracy rose a couple points, and then he spiked his first Salmon, with Ursula's help, they pulled it onboard and had a dinner at sea.

All that remained was the bones Frosty chewed on happily at the center of the bottom deck. Claude sat on the steps leading to the upper deck. Ursula sat comfortably next to him. The ocean winds fresh on their noses-- salty, richer possibly.

There was something beautiful about it. Nothing impeding his vision-- it felt like he could see the end of the world. All reflective water and dark purple and orange sky. The only thing to change the sight were the odd jumping fish and massive fins smacking the surface and sending tidal waves as tall as Claude a little too close for comfort.

That wasn't even the most beautiful sight. What truly held their gazes were the Tangents. Fissures and cuts in reality, left glowing and hovering above water. Glowing in shades of blues, greens, purples, pinks and reds even further beyond. In the growing dark they only became more visible, changing the colors of the water around them in small pools. It felt like they were floating in a sky full of stars. A place called the Tendread Sea shouldn't have felt so unnaturally serene.

"You ever think about what it's like before we get in there?" Ursula suddenly asked.

"What?"

"The Tangents.... like how it is before they open. How long do you think they just.... live without us." Ursula explained.

Claude rested his chin on his knees as he thought it over, "My... my dad said he and his co-workers used to talk about that a lot-- he told me about his conversations a lot. The origin of Tangents and such... he always thought their old name-- Dungeons, didn't make any sense. He used to say, Dungeons are prisons..... but most Tangents look almost like variations of our world... or untouched oasis'. So... I think they're at peace most of the time before they're opened. Some fester-- like the Undead..... some twist like the Corrupted Bosses and turn on everyone, but others just seem to exist."

"Your dad sounds nice." Ursula commented quietly as she leaned down to rest her chin on her arms and knees as well.

"He was."

"AHHHHRAHRAHGHGHSHSHH!!!"

SPLSHHH!

SPLSSHSH!

The sounds of dozens of screams and gurgling roars knocked them out of their conversation with a start. Claude's head popped up in a flash, watching the ocean beyond. In the distance, a Tangent opened. Low ranked, blue glow.

A horde of Goblins spilled out like the Tangent was projectile vomiting the physical embodiment of greed. The waters around the Tangent foamed and sloshed as the beasts in the sea crowded and fought to swallow up the dinner being tossed to them at the mercy of a Magic nobody truly understood. The sight was bizarre-- almost symbiotic in the way everything seemed to work together. Out of curiosity, he activated his Natural Vision.

Dozens of sea creatures crowded around the Tangent in the distance, rising from below to get their fill. He looked over to others nearby, finding the concentration of swimming creatures higher than where there was no Tangent. They understood. The lights meant food.

"That's.... dark." Ursula commented.

"Yea no kidding." Claude replied as the boat came to a stop.

The two Lupines and Frosty were on their feet in a flash.

No more than ten feet out, a C Ranked Tangent loomed. Purple in color with green arcing flecks of energy. Mid Silver Ranking.

"It's time." Cassidy announced from the upper deck.

Claude and Ursula began working to take down the sail and minimize the size of the boat. After ten minutes of work, they were armored up and ready.

Claude remained at the back while Frosty and Ursula were at the front of the boat. No more than three feet from the Tangent. He could feel the creatures below, questioning why their beacon of food was disappearing.

Cassidy loaded his Auto-Bow behind the Berserker, "Warming up the old muscles....."

Ma suddenly fell from the skies and hovered beside the Bounty Hunter who gave her a cunning smile. "Hey pretty lady where you been?"

"Watching..." Ma replied casually while looking over the boat as if it were a tourist attraction. The black rags wrapping her lithe frame fluttered in the night winds.

"Ok, everybody good?" Claude yelled from the upper deck.

The group all threw up a thumbs up. Frosty barked.

"Go."

Everyone took off, leaping off the front of the boat and hopping into the Tangent.

VWOOMP!-- VwOOM--VWOOMP!

Claude activated his skill (Strength of the Jotunn) and followed after, alone at sea for a collection of seconds, he could feel the creatures below rumbling the waters. Anxiety birthed his adrenaline in those moments and skyrocketed its potency once he leapt across the waters to reach the Tangent entrance.

before he could truly enter, he turned and threw out his Malevolence Tether, wrapping it around a fastening location at the head of the boat and yanking it inside with him.

VWOOMP!

Hopefully the Monsters within weren't Magical Termites.....