Siren's Kiss

56: Of All That Has Passed Part Eight

On the other side of the land, Drake, in his saurian guise, walked alongside the future infamous Pirate King Garrick Stormare, who was, in fact, his father. Despite being in the past timeline and having the opportunity to learn more about the young Garrick, Drake found little joy in the experience, as they had never gotten along well.

"Blasted, daft prick!" Drake kicked a small pebble as they traversed the forest floor in search of Ciel. The siren either refused to show himself or had become lost. Lost in thought, Drake stared intently at a nearby pool of water, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Where be this fall takin' us?"

"To the sea, ye moron," Garrick said, his tone as considerate as he could manage, though a mocking grin played on his lips.

Drake ignored him and hurried to follow the sound of the water from the falls, with Garrick easily trailing behind. Their path led them to the open coast, where the sea met the vast ocean stretching before them.

"Easy there, lad. That water be leadin' straight to the Stormy Seas."

Hearing Garrick's words, Drake's eyes widened slightly, and he slowly turned to face the pirate. "We're on the western border?"

"Aye, we be on the western border, mate. Right where the tides start turnin' rough."

So, this was the western territory? Drake wondered why he hadn't recognized the village earlier. Forget about the presence of the templar soldiers; the templars were known for expanding their control under the guise of protection, but their real aim was to keep everyone subdued. Given that the western border was so close to the Stormy Seas, this area had few inhabitants. It was primarily settled by dragonkin, saurians, and pirates. Seeing such a variety of people in the market from the past was somewhat amusing to Drake.

Perhaps...that monster hadn't been born yet.

"What do ye call this 'ere sea?"

"Why?"

"Just spill the name, blast it!"

Garrick swept him a look. "The Azure Cascade."

"So, this be where the Azure Kraken was born..." Drake muttered aloud to himself, his words clearly audible to his companion.

"Well, no one's laid eyes on a kraken fer ages, mate. But legends say there's a holy sea monster lurkin' beneath the Stormy Seas. Some reckon it's the spirit of the creator Nerevarus, the god of sea and rain, trapped in the waters. It's said to cure diseases and bring rain when the land's dry."

Drake frowned at the sight. Why were the people here making legends about the god Nerevarus while celebrating the festival of the gods in the plaza? It was evident to both Drake and Ciel that this timeline marked the beginning of the end for these people. Particularly with the birth of the Azure Kraken, the tides were set to change.

"Why be it only Aurelius who believes Nerevarus has abandoned us? How be he knowin'?" Drake asked.

"He couldn't," Garrick replied, rummaging through his satchel for his bottle of rum. "He dreamt o' things—things no one else can fathom but him."

"Ye believe him?"

"Aye, mate. He's me friend."

"How'd ye even befriend a templar?"

Garrick let out an "ah-ha!" when he found what he was looking for. He took a swig, wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve, and grinned at Drake, who looked at him impatiently. "Aurelius be a peculiar lad, ye know. In fact, the templars don't even reckon him as one of their own. Anyhow, the Grandmasters often journeyed to that mysterious floating island, Eldoria, to seek the prophecy of the Amazon Queen."