Chapter 1 - Tropics and a Star
I’m not a big fan of fish stories…
But this is one I have to tell. I remember it was really hot outside. Well, it’s the Eastern Islands, so I suppose it always is. I sat under the tree on my favourite pier like I always do when fishing. It’s old and abandoned, but it’s quiet. I don’t know if anybody else knows about it, but in any case I want to keep it secret.
The ocean seemed so calm that day. The waves were so… gentle. I remember I was just so relaxed and happy just waiting for a nice fish to come around, but then I fell asleep. I was a pretty laid back kid and I took naps all the time. Then… I caught a fish… sort of.
I know now that whales aren’t fish! They’re just too big to be fish! They have to be monsters! Anyways, the whale caught my fishing line and was so strong, but as the stubborn and hungry ten year old I was… I just had to catch it myself. I held on tight to the fishing rod and locked the line on it. The whale pulled me right into the water and I just held on tight trying to keep hold. I thought that maybe if I held on long enough it’d tire out eventually.
It didn’t.
Do you know how people say that before facing death… life comes on around and flashes before your very eyes? Well, it happened to me. I realized something from seeing it all, too. I’ve been doing almost the same things over and over for as long as I can remember. I eat, sleep and fish. The most exciting thing I do is go to the Karagatan festival every year… and that’s about it.
I remember waking up soon afterwards. Well, it seemed like it was quick, but I don’t know how long I was knocked out for. Then I remember the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. It was like a bolt of lightning, but the sky was sunny and bright as can be! No storms in sight… just one bolt through the sky. It was like a shooting star in the daytime.
It went West.
It went towards the mainland.
That’s where the big city of Batogia is.
That’s where I had to go.
Alright, Batogia... Get ready, cuz' Drip Paladin is gonna set sail!
