EIGHT YEARS AGO.
Three figures sat by the coastline, playing a game with cards. Two fishing rods embedded into the ground next to them.
A built man with half his face burned off, a young woman with blonde hair and a black ribbon, and a little boy with golden eyes and a crimson scarf far too large for him.
"How do I become a shaman?"
"Yeahhh! That's a straight Bjorn. Look at it!"
Bjorn looked at the cards and then placed his down too. A flush.
Alice grabbed her head, looking away in exasperation.
"Damn it, Bjorn. What's the point in always packing these cards."
"It's made me 50 crown."
Alice turned to look at Naren.
"You're lucky you don't have any money."
Naren looked at his cards carefully.
"Yeah, I guess I lucked out."
He let his cards flutter to the ground. Royal flush.
Alice began laughing.
"Bjorn! That's 25 crowns you just lost!"
She patted Naren on the head.
"Good job. Keep robbing that thug."
"You never answered. How do I become a shaman?"
Alice leaned back on her arms, looking at the sky as if thinking.
"How indeed. Well it's different for everyone, but there's one similarity."
She turned her gaze towards Naren.
"You'll see what you made a pact with. Then it'll tell you where to go."
Naren's golden eyes glimmered.
"I'll see my sister?"
——————————————
PRESENT DAY.
Among dark murky waters, rattled a sizable wooden ship. It was big, enough for at least 100 people to sail comfortably. A thick layer of fog immersed the whole ship, blocking most if not all of the moonlight. On the deck two figures were arguing.
"Are you an idiot?!"
A man in a dark trench coat held another man by his collars.
"How the hell did you lose the map to Thera."
The other man was flustered. Sweating, he could barely get his words out.
"I'm-I'm sorry. I never moved it but-"
The man in the trench coat let go, watching the smaller man stumble a little. A deep scowl in his face.
"Get us out of this. Else this whole ship is getting dragged to the bottom of the sea."
During this whole interaction, a little girl sat a couple feet away, bounded by rope. She wore a slightly oversized button up shirt and a long skirt. Akin to a school uniform. She was short for her age—couldn't be older than nine. Dark hair fell just paste her shoulders, uncombed, tangled. Her face was pale, almost sickly, marked with several fading bruises.
She sat there, wide grey eyes glaring at the men.
A bowl of stew sat right in front of her, untouched.
The man walked up to her with a slight smile.
"Vera, you still haven't touched your food? Aren't you hungry?"
The girl didn't say anything. Instead she glared at him. The wind blew her sleeves up a little, revealing bruises.
"Stand up."
Vera didn't respond. She sat motionless.
"Vera. Stand up."
She reluctantly got up slowly.
"Good girl."
He turned to another man who was mopping the deck.
MAN 1: "Bolka! Take Vera back down. She looks tired."
Bolka walked up to the two. Unable to look the man in the eye.
"Let's go."
He took Vera's hand, gripping tightly, and led her down to the lower deck.
—————————————
It was pitch black and cold in the lower deck. There were several cells, each with one to two people. They were all small and cramped, however. Most barely enough for even one person.
A single lamp lit up the room.
As they walked, a bandaged man lunged at the bars.
"Let me out! Please! I can't take this!"
Vera slightly jumped back, but the man kept dragging her with no response. They stopped in front of a small cell. The man opened the door and threw Vera into the biggest cell.
She stumbled a little into the cell, throwing back a resentful look.
The faint light of the lamp grew smaller as the man walked away grumbling to himself.
"This stupid little kid isn't worth all this trouble..."
Then pitch black returned to the room.
"Vera."
Vera turned to face the adjacent cell, where a man covered in bandages from head to toe waved her over. As she got closer, a bandaged arm squeezed through the cell with a stale piece of bread held tightly in his hands.
"I managed to nab this when they brought the wrong dinner over. Enjoy it."
Vera waved her hands, shaking her head.
"No no, you should have it."
The man hesitated a little before taking Vera's hand and placing the bread in it, closing her fingers around the loaf.
"Just take it. We're all on death's door anyways."
She reluctantly took it and began eating. As she walked to the wall of her cell, she tripped, dropping her bread which slid somewhere into the darkness of the cell.
"Ow…"
Sitting up, she studied what she had tripped over. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, a drenched man with bruises and scratches covering his whole body laid there.
The discovery jolted her back a little. As she regained her composure, she studied him closer.
He was young, with reddish black hair and a crimson scarf. He had a pair of jeans on, rolled up as they were evidently too long for him, as well as an oversized button-up shirt.
Vera's gaze was fixed on the scarf. She slowly led her hands to touch it, overcome with an overwhelming infatuation.
Naren yawned, snapping Vera back to her senses. She stumbled back a little.
He slowly sat up, yawning once more. He swirled his head in a circular motion, stretching, then brought his hands to his drowsy eyes, rubbing them.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Salty!"
Vera shot forward, putting her hands over Naren's mouth.
"Are you crazy?"
"Bwaa?"
The girl lowered her hands and brought one to her lips, shushing him.
"You have to be quiet."
"Vera, you alright over there?"
"Keep it down please. This is already too much."
Vera backed off, flustered.
"Sorry sorry."
Naren breathed in a deep breath as if he were about to scream. The girl scuffled around and placed both her hands back onto his mouth. He began laughing quietly, gently moving her hands.
"Sorry sorry. I couldn't help it."
The girl's face grew into a look of anger. Not that anyone could see.
"Are you out of your mind? You're going to ruin it for the rest of us."
Naren looked around as his eyes adjusted to the dark.
"Will they now?"
He stood up and held onto the bars, his hands bound by rope.
"Pretty sturdy. They really like us, huh?"
Vera stared at him. He must of have been the poor boy she heard about. The one the ship found floating on a few boards of wood miraculously alive. What poor luck to end up in the ends of this crew.
"We're walking crowns to them."
He went back and laid down by the girl.
"You got a light?"
The girl blinked a couple times.
"Why in the world would I have a light?"
"I don't know, maybe you're a heavy smoker."
"Are you stupid?"
She was astonished by what she was hearing. The boy—who couldn't be more than ten years older than her—looked as if he was going to fall over any moment from his injuries, but here he was without a care in the world.
Naren rolled over to one side, ready to go back to bed. His eyes growing heavy.
Vera sat there examining the boy a little longer. His will must've been broken. He just gave up and accepted his situation. She whispered under her breath.
"I won't be like you. I'll escape."
Just then the boy turned in his sleep. Slowly sitting up, staggering from sleep deprivation.
"You're too noisy I can't sleep."
The girl watched puzzled. Immaturity seeping into her voice.
"Noisy? Me? You're the one who was yelling."
Naren didn't respond. Instead he made a talking motion with his hands and bobbed his head mocking her.
"Tsk. I wish they'd take you to another cell."
"Yeah, why do I have to move? How about you go to another cell."
"I was here first. You move."
"I'm older, you leave."
"Fine whatever, I don't plan on staying here for long anyways."
Naren bobbed a little, tired.
"Yeah? How so."
"As if I'd tell someone like you. You'd just get me caught."
Naren got to his feet, holding his stomach.
Vera instinctively moved back a little. A tinge of unease washing over her.
"What're you doing."
"I'm hungry, Ima find food."
Naren began taking a step forward a feeling of dread passing over Vera. She couldn't tell for sure how, but she knew that whatever the boy would do, it would not be discreet in the slightest. She grabbed onto his legs dragging him back.
"No no stop. You're going to get us caught."
Naren dragged his leg along with the girl closer and closer to the bars. Just as he was about to grab them, a knife was slung right at his hands. Naren quickly pulled it back right before it connected.
"Who the hell are you?"
A slight bitterness in his voice masked by his sleepiness.
The man in the trench coat stood beyond the bars, looking down at the little girl.
"I told you to be good didn't I?"
Naren looked down to see the girl cowering behind him.
"Don't ignore me. It's improper."
The man looked back up at Naren. A puzzled expression lining his face.
"When did we we get you?"
He put his hands through the bars and wiped the blood off Naren's forehead.
"Though it looks like you're rotten goods."
The man wiped it on the bars.
"I'll tell you what. Give me that girl down there and I'll let you free."
"For real?"
He looked down at the girl who was cowering, shaking her head. He looked back up at the man. Lifting his foot up in front of the bar. The girl hanging from it.
The man laughed, opening the door.
"Come on Vera. It's time for school."
Vera shook her head vigorously, her grip on Naren tightened.
The man flashed a smile, holding his arms out.
"I said come on. You don't want more homework do you?"
Vera slowly let go of Naren's foot and followed the man. Quietly behind them, Naren followed suit. However, just before he made it out the door it was slammed on him.
"Hahaha. You're even worse than me. You really believed all that shit?"
The man turned around and slowly walked with Vera. Tugging at her arms with evident force. Naren watches as he fell to a seat, yawning.
"So tired."
"Vera."
She didn't respond.
"Didn't I tell you to be quiet."
Vera looked up, terror in her eyes. The man grabbed her hair and pulled her forward. Vera clenched her jaws, tears swelling in her eyes.
"Good girl. Don't make a sound."
As Vera was led away, she looked back. Staring at the boy who just let her go. She wanted to hate him but couldn't. It was a a very cruel situation after all. Even though the other prisoners always tried giving her food, not once did they try helping her. The food and favors were nothing more than an act to deprive their guilt a little.
————————————
In another room, there was a single candle. Barely lighting up the space. A table with an unfinished map, a small mirror on the wall and a sink right below it, as well as meaningless junk scattered about.
The man threw Vera into the room and shut the door behind them. The sounds of waves instantly muffled.
"Vera."
The man smiled, walking up to her slowly. The girl cowered on the ground as he walked closer. Step. Step. Step. He squatted in front of her, a smile creeping up on his face.
"Vera, it's time for school."
Vera shivered, trying to slowly crawl back. Slowly shaking her head in dismay. The man was completely unfazed by his brutality. Instead, he got back to his feet and walked to a corner of the room like this was a regular routine.
"Vera. We take great care of you don't we? We clothe you, feed you, shelter you. Aren't we so kind."
The man made it to the mirror looking at his reflection. He slicked his dark greasy hair back. Then just looked at himself for a couple seconds, admiring it. He slowly raised his hands up to touch the reflection. Turning it into a fist last second, he smashed it. Shards went flying throughout the room, one landing right in front of Vera.
"So tell me. Why don't you LISTEN TO US!"
Vera was backed up against the wall. Slowly shaking her head.
"Can't..."
"...I can't tell you."
He slicked his hair back once more. Going over to a corner of the room.
"All we want is for you to draw a map. It's not much."
The man bent down and grabbed a whip, one with thorns lathered along it. Brandishing it, he ran his fingers through it, a small prickle ending up on his finger. He walked over to Vera, not once looking her in the eyes.
"We know you know. Why can't you just draw it."
He raised his hand.
"All we want is just a map of Atlas' Tomb, Vera!"
BAM! Something broke.
The man brought his hand down with the whip.
Vera squeezed her eyes shut. Too scared to even scream. But nothing came down. Nothing hit her.
She slowly opened her eyes. A boy was standing in front of her, with clothes too big for him and a crimson scarf. Her gaze fell past the boy at the door. The door to the room had a hole smashed right through it, wooden chunks littering the floor.
"Jackpot!"
Naren held his hands out in front of him, like a boxer would guard. He footing was perfect and his golden eyes locked right onto the man.
The man took a slight step back, shaking his fists from the impact.
"Who the hell are you?!"
——————————————
The cell in the other room was completely empty, the metal bars twisted out of order. Rope laid on the floor, torn by force. The door was swung open.
A single lamp illuminated the room. Rolling to a stop by the leg of a man. He was sprawled out on the floor, a metal tray clutched in his hands. A bowl of slop was knocked over nearby spilled over the floor.
By one of the cells a ring of keys laid on the ground. A pair of bandaged hands reaching out to grab it. The prisoner straining to grab it.
"Just a little more."
He grabbed the keys, bringing them into the cell. He looked over at the man unconscious on the floor.
"I do wonder how that bastard ended up like that"
————————
The ship spun out of control in one direction, tilting.
The man dropped the whip and drew the dagger from his waist. He quickly thrust it at Naren's neck. Nothing. Naren dodged.
"Missed me."
Then the man changed the grip, reversing it. Following the same momentum, he swung the dagger in a crescent moon right at Naren's throat.
Gone. Naren was gone.
"Boo!"
A kick came from right behind the man, sending him stumbling forward.
Vera watched in amazement. Naren had truly just disappeared and reappeared. Like real teleportation. Like magic. The thought caught in her throat.
"I'll kill you!"
The man turned around and lunged at Naren, or at least where Naren should've been. But his attack went right through thin air, stumbling forward he caught his footing.
This time another kick came from the man's left. Then one from his right. Then behind. Over and over kicks continued to berate him from each and every direction.
"You're not too good at this are you?"
Vera sat against the wall witnessing all this. Naren disappearing and reappearing, then disappearing once again. A strange look of disbelief mixed with slight fear on her face. A series of words caught in her throat. There were only certain people capable of what seemed like magic.
"A shaman…"
The man kept taking hits. Over and over and over again. Slowly losing sense, bleeding, wobbling. He fell to the ground. Begging to nothing but the thin air. He looked around and braced for impact. Though nothing came. Opening his eyes, he saw the boy standing in front of Vera.
"You wanna get one in?"
Naren held out a dagger in his hands. The little girl slowly moved her hands to the knife before gripping it. She pushed herself off the ground, to her feet, throwing a dark glare at the man.
The man was now crawling back. Heaving from his chest, he crawled. His arms shaking with even the slightest pressure. Eventually, they gave out all together. His back fell on the floor.
"Come on Vera. Please. I didn't want to do any of that. I was always against it."
Vera stood in front of him, about to thrust the dagger into him. Her arms shaking uncontrollable. She raised it, high above her head and closed her eyes.
Her grip fell through. The dagger slipped from her clutches with a sharp clammer on the wooden floor.
"Thank you! Thank you Vera! I always wanted them to-"
Naren dug the dagger deep into the man's thigh. He wanted to twist it, for whatever reason, this man in particular was really getting on his nerves, but he didn't. He just took one swift jab and left it there.
As he let go of the dagger, his hands slightly trembled. Quickly shaking his hands, Naren put up one finger and turned to Vera.
"Now you owe me one."
Without a moments rest, a flame erupted beside them. In the commotion the candle had set the room ablaze. And without another moments rest, Naren had picked up Vera, as if waiting for the embers to light.
———————————
Climbing out of the stairs, there was nothing to greet Naren but chaos.
Constant fighting between the slaves and the crew ensued. Each going at each other's throats, sparing no brutality for later. Among them one lost a tooth, another had his ear bit off, another was hanging lifelessly over the edge of the ship.
"Yo! Attention passengers! This ship is going to sink very soon! Either keep fighting or get one of the safety boats and leave! I'm sure there are enough for everyone if you don't waste time!"
Naren stood in the middle of the deck holding Vera. Smoke escaping from behind him.
A couple people gave him a slight second of attention, but the rest didn't even give that courtesy.
Naren sighed and lazily walked over to the edge of the boat, lined with several dinghies ready to be deployed.
"What-What're you doing! What about everyone else!"
"I gotta respect their call."
Vera continued squirming. Tears swelling in her eyes. She crunched her hands into fists, meekly hurling a couple into his legs.
"No! No! We can't leave them! We can't!"
Naren didn't let go. Instead he kicked one of the dinghies, dropping it into the black waters below. He threw a couple oars down as well. Taking one last look at the fight, he climbed down to the small boat with Vera in his hands.
"Stop! Leave me if you want! I'm getting out with them!"
Naren finally dropped her onto the floor of the small boat. Before plopping down and leaning on his hands.
"Stop screaming will you, nothing's going to change."
"How do you know that!"
Tears swelled in her eyes. She sniffled, crunching her face to hold back the tears. She tightened her fists.
"None of them looked like they wanted to live to me."
The little girl didn't say anything. She already knew, already knew that even if they were to escape from the ship, non of them were in any condition to survive. Yet, she couldn't help but put up a fight. At least then, at least only after she tried everything, would it maybe hurt a little less.
"Still…"
"So...at least let em die how they want."
The little girls eyes glinted. Staring at Naren's golden eyes she couldn't help but forget about her worries for even a split second. Seeing the resolution in those lazy eyes, she began doubting if all her fighting was just an excuse for herself.
"Besides, we have a long trip ahead don't we?"
Her trance was broken. Vera's eyes lingered on Naren's face, a slight smile appearing on it.
"What?"
"You're going to take me to Atlas."
————————————————
A giant ocean in darkness. Everything was engulfed except for one little candle flickering. The candle illuminated a pair of arms. Bruised and battered, the ligaments were shackled. Shadows concealed everything past the forearm. However, two golden bulbs could be seen. Shining.
Naren stood a couple feet away from the creature. Slowly sinking into the dark murky waters.
The creature spoke in a raspy echoing tone. One that could be felt in the bones.
CREATURE: "Tomb of Atlas."