Vastarael stood still on the black shores. The late afternoon sky stretched above him, a deep mix of orange and purple streaks as the sun began its slow descent.
The Erna Isles always looked hauntingly beautiful at this time of day but Vastarael barely noticed. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, as if he were trying to see beyond it, to whatever lay ahead.
He didn't turn when he heard footsteps approaching. He knew exactly who it was.
"Of all places, why the beach?" Narisva Starisnova's voice rang out, cutting through the sound of waves. "I thought you'd be, I don't know, testing out your Divinities. This brooding prince act doesn't suit you."
Vastarael smirked faintly, though he didn't look at her.
"And here I thought you'd appreciate the dramatic setting. The whole dark-sky, black-sand aesthetic feels like it'd be your thing. I learned how to hide my presence completely but I guess you found me."
She snorted, crossing her arms as she stopped beside him.
"Alright, fair enough. But seriously, why did you call me here? You do realize that you forced yourself to Divinity, right? You might want to conserve your energy."
He finally turned to face her, his eyes meeting hers
"That's exactly why I came here. Before the Epoch Cycle started, I forced you to help me, remember?"
Narisva raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a smirk.
"Oh, yeah, I remember. You wanted an ace up your sleeve and who better than me, right? Even though you haven't used me yet, it's not bad."
"I didn't need to explain it then. It wasn't relevant. But it is now. I need your help."
Her smirk faded slightly, replaced by a look of intrigue.
"Oh? And what help do you need?"
"To help me kill the Frozen God in five days," he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Narisva stared at him for a moment, her starry eyes wide before she burst out laughing. It was loud and unapologetic. She doubled over slightly, holding her stomach as she tried to catch her breath.
"You're joking," she managed between laughs. "You have to be joking."
"I'm not."
That only made her laugh harder. She straightened up, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye as she grinned at him.
"You really are insane, you know that? But hey, that's why you're interesting But are you sure about this, Vastarael? This isn't just some random mission. This is suicide, plain and simple. Even for you."
He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "It's only suicide if I fail."
"That's not exactly reassuring," she muttered, crossing her arms again. "But fine. If this is what you want, I'll follow your command. After all, we have the same goal."
"Good," Vastarael said, glancing at her. "I'll need someone as reckless as you if we're going to pull this off. We're leaving right now."
"To where?"
"The only island that no one in the Erna Isles has ever known what it holds. The Submerged Island."
"..."
"No one else is coming. It's just us two. And fortunately for us, I have the Divinity of water."
"But why are you interested in this now? Why kill him now?"
Vastarael gave her a smirk before instantly summoning a gigantic bioluminescent manta ray.
"We all have our secrets, don't we?"