Trouble

Two days have passed since I left Zera, the village where I met June and took the ability to endure this cold from Jock. Since then, I have been able to survive okay enough by getting to shelters before too long and by learning (or trying to at least) more and more about the planet and its people. It is hard to adjust to all the information though, especially because I am not some naturally gifted genius protagonist. Oh boy, I so wish I were, but I am not.

So, my progress is slow. Before leaving Zera, June gave me a map of this world and because I am not so well-acquainted with the symbols here, it took me a little time to start using it to its full potential. But anyway, from the map, I now know where the territories of Kidar and Temur are. First of all, 80% of the planet's surface is water, a percentage even larger than Earth's. While a lot of these water bodies are free like you'd expect them to be, a lot also fall under the territory of these two nations.  I'd say 60% of the water bodies are free while 25% belong to Temur and 15% to Kidar. As for land, 55% of the land belongs to Kidar and 45% to Temur. Obviously, these numbers are estimates. I have not done some extra-thorough research on this thing. But, I have done enough to give me a basic idea of things.

I am currently holding the map in my hand while sitting in a guesthouse's lobby. All around me, Frost people are present. And as one would expect, they are staring at me. If I let it leak that I have come from another planet on a mission from Dues, I might start getting some unwarranted publicity so I let them stare and be wary of me. Still, when so many stare, it gets uncomfortable – making me get up and leave the place like I just did.

"Hah!" I sigh and say to myself, "Getting to Telmakim when planes don't exist in this world, it's not going to be easy – at all."

I can only wonder how Danny, Grey, Jessica and Roswaisa are doing right now. I hope they are fine. And I hope Dues is having a lot of trouble with her 'godhood'.

*****

"Having trouble with your 'godhood'?" I ask sarcastically after giving my report to her and seeing her facepalming to the news.

"When I sent Roswaisa there to help him because he had prayed to me, I did not think he was trying to use it. But, I guess something as foolish as playing with a god is something to be expected of your race, isn't it Danny?"

Well, the fact that Cartel Hopkins is a human makes 'yes' the only correct answer so I can't rely deny her. That said though, it's rather reinvigorating to see Dues in such a troubled state.

"Find that human and bring him to me." She says. "I'll deal with him."

"Sure!" I say with a smile as her simplistic solution to the problem only shows how much her pride has hurt and that makes me really glad to be here in this room right now.

Before I go however, "So, like, how do you know that he was praying to you? Like, do you have some mechanism for that or something?"

There are so many people and even so many places of worship on just Earth, can't even begin to imagine the rest of the universe. So, how can one know that a person is praying to them, especially when one isn't a real god?

"I'm god. It's obvious I'd know-"

"Don't give me that bullshit!" I want an answer to my question, not her trying to recover her pride.

"Hah!" She sighs and leans back on her throne as she answers, "I don't get to know when something like that happens, not by myself. The reason I knew his request was because he sent a letter to this place in which he requested my help and was praying to me, accepting me as god."

"Well, if that was all it took to make you help him, you are a rather easy woman." I mock her, or try to. She takes it a bit too seriously though it seems as her eyes grow a bloodlust in them.

"Be thankful that I have a need for you right now and that we have some past connections, or I would have ripped your heart out and put it on display by now."

"…" Despite having many retorts in my mind, I decide not to say anything as angering isn't really the smartest move. While I would love to see her suffer, I have no intention of getting myself killed over something like this.

"Now get lost!" Dues yells.

Well, that's that. Now I need to get to finding Roswaisa as Grey, as per my request, would be out looking for Cartel.

*****

Nighttime – from what I know – is considered the perfect time for crime among the people of Earth. The many crimes that take place during night disgust me to even think about them, but the one I am concerned about at present is the shipping of drugs.

As of right now, I am hiding at a safe distance from the docks with the Chief of Staff I kidnapped somewhere in the distance and tied up nicely. I am keeping an eye on the docks and the people gathered on it. We are both waiting for one thing – for the drug shipment to arrive. However, our intentions are completely different.

Back when Dues sent me here, I was about to head out myself. She wanted me to save Cartel and so I did. I wanted to find out about this drug and so I did that too. It happened to be luck that the two things were connected. But anyway, now that I am here and free from Dues' job, I can focus on what's going on here.

The reason I have gotten interested in stopping this drug shipment is because I have heard that it is a new kind of drug and it can give a person the power of an Angel or a Demon. Obviously, I can't ignore such a thing.

And so, as I see the shipment arrive, I get ready to move closer.

*****