Shackled Spirit

"Hey! I think I found something!"

June yelled, beckoning Gemm to walk over to him. 

In front of him, tossed onto its front, a roughed-up rowboat rested on the edge of the shore. Its size was enough to accommodate both of them at once, but the oars were missing.

June took a step forward and tossed the boat over with a slight groan before dragging it away from the shore so he could inspect it. It was then that he noticed a single oar had simply been inside, tied with a ribbon to the thwarts of the wooden boat.

"This'll do."

He said aloud, looking over to Gemm. She scanned the boat thoroughly.

"Yeah, this is perfect. Let's get going."

Without hesitation, they began pushing the rowboat back toward the shore. The moment they felt the boat no longer needed their support, they hopped in, and June untied the oar.

Planning on rowing himself, he cradled the oar in his hands while adjusting himself.

However, Gemm took them from him without batting an eye before he could even begin.

"Stay vigilant, don't ever let your guard down." She said as she began rowing.

June didn't let out a retort of any kind from her actions either. He just accepted them and remained silent — albeit, a bit annoyed. 

No doubt, she was the navigator for them, so it was only right that she guided them through the fog herself.

But still, June was capable of doing that much as well. She had already made it clear what direction they were headed in, so it shouldn't have been a problem for him.

Letting out a sigh, June made sure to heed her words as he looked around.

The water was calm yet held an allure to it that wasn't pleasant. June also couldn't help but notice several faint whispers that seemed to fill the air, accompanied by the gliding of the oar and the hiss of the wind.

Gulping, he redirected his attention toward Gemm, asking:

"So, tell me, how did you manage to survive for so long in this crude place?"

As he asked, they passed in between a collapsed colossal gate that was split in two.

"With the help of Duke."

She answered, glancing over her shoulder for a brief moment.

"Without Duke, I would've long been dead. He's strong. The strongest, in fact."

She spoke highly of him, her tone even shifted through several emotions as she did.

Duke — her older brother — was someone dear to her, the dearest. It didn't take a genius to notice that. 

Peering his gaze away from her, June suddenly noticed something. They were crossing past one of the small bodies of land that floated within the endless fog.

On it, a skeleton remained perched against a long cross, clad in tainted armor.

"Hang on, let's stop here for a second."

June requested, his gaze remaining on the skeleton.

"No, we need to make haste before the next nightfall."

Ignoring him, she continued rowing.

June was adamant though, he was sure he felt a presence exude off of the skeleton. And soon, Gemm noticed it too, shifting her attention toward the island. 

"Hm…"

Now she was curious as well and eventually decided to listen to June, turning the rowboat in its direction.

June shook his head and sighed.

Once close enough, they carefully stepped out of the boat and dragged it onto the land.

"Alright…"

With that, June approached the cross where the skeleton lay against while Gemm lingered behind, scanning her surroundings.

Although tainted, the armor was adorned with a sigil of some kind, resembling a shining sun that was barely discernible under the years — likely centuries — of erosion.

Kneeling down, June took a closer look.

The presence he felt was clearly coming from the piece of armor, but what was it exactly? 

Just then, a voice spoke, and it wasn't Gemm's.

"Well I'll be! Are thou humans?!"

An old man's voice — both exuberant and ghostly — sounded before a figure emerged from the armor like a rising cobra.

Caught completely off guard, June fell on his bottom, startled. At the same time, Gemm unsheathed her sword, gripping it tightly with both hands by the hilt.

"Ah, fear not, beautiful souls! Tcha! I am merely a whisper in the wind. Harmless, really!"

June rubbed his eyes, wondering if what he was seeing was real.

In front of him now hovered a… ghost?

It was a man, floating above the lying skeleton without a pair of legs. Only his upper body was visible, covered by a veil of wispy clouds that sculpted his figure.

He had an extensive goatee, a sharp face with glowing eyes, and long hair that reached his shoulders.

The ghostly man extended his arms out, speaking once more:

"It's quite marvelous to see humans with untainted souls here! Marvelous indeed!"

He proclaimed, smiling.

Standing up, June patted the dirt lingering on him before looking up to meet the ghost's face.

"What are you?"

June asked, wondering. He was some form of ghost, surely.

Gemm soon approached, standing next to June, waiting for an answer as well.

The ghost looked at the two of them and sighed, expelling a breath of fog in return.

"I am… but a Shackled Spirit… bound to my home for the rest of eternity."

June didn't know what he meant by that, not one bit. Gemm, though, seemed to have a clue.

"A Shackled Spirit…"

She muttered underneath her breath, suspecting something.

"Indeed. However, not for long!"

June raised a single brow, left wondering once again.

"Thanks to you both, I can finally be free! I beseech thee, grant this one favor I ask of you! In return, I will offer my esteemed wisdom! Please, I desire to rest in peace!"

He seemed both joyous to see them, yet urgent to leave.

June looked over to Gemm who appeared rather hesitant. Eventually, she spoke.

"No, I'm afraid we can't. We don't have the time to complete favors for the dead."

With those harsh words, she turned away and began walking back toward the boat.

'Welp…'

June lingered for a bit, shifting his attention from the Shackled Spirit to Gemm.

Frankly, he wanted to help the man, free him from the accursed shackles that bounded him. However, he couldn't refute Gemm — her decisions were absolute.

Reluctantly, and with an apologetic expression, June decided to turn away. But before he could take a step, the Shackled Spirit spoke again, this time with a heavy undertone that stopped June in his tracks.

"Without completing my favor, thy will not get through the fog. That I can guarantee."