He explored the corners of the ship looking for something to entertain himself with, but he found nothing in particular. Midas could only stare silently at the water while the rest of the crew carried out their duties.
The captain kept shouting, pacing back and forth. Every now and then, the man would smack one of his comrades hard on the back, something Midas didn't fully understand. Well, he himself had received a smack on the back a few minutes ago.
'They're all incredibly coordinated. They know exactly what they're doing, and that's impressive.' It truly was interesting to watch the work of these people of the sea.
Among the crew was a woman around forty years old, dressed like some kind of pirate. On her belt, she carried a flintlock weapon that looked heavy, like a revolver with an absurdly oversized barrel. She wore a large black hat adorned with a long red feather, and her black hair tied in a loose ponytail seemed to dance with the wind. Right now, she was reading a map alongside another crew member.
"Is she the crew's navigator?" he muttered to himself, unable to take his eyes off the woman.
Suddenly, he felt a hard smack on his back. He arched his spine in pain and immediately turned around.
The captain was standing there, smiling despite how severe and aggressive he had seemed before.
"That's right, brat. Mara is our star navigator. She's a woman with plenty of knowledge and experience. Interested in her, are you? Because let me tell you, no man, woman, or lizard has ever managed to handle her."
"Ugh… I'm not interested in her," he complained, straightening his back again. "I was thinking about the things she might know."
"So that's it, huh." He scratched his nearly bald head. "If knowledge is what you want, don't be shy and go talk to her. Just one piece of advice: don't approach her from behind. Her instincts are way too sharp, and she might react violently. I assume you don't want a bullet through your skull."
A chill ran down Midas' spine. Letting out a nervous laugh, he lowered his head.
"Hehe… Right."
Nervously, he approached her with caution. The sailor who had been beside the woman earlier had already left, so Midas took advantage of that. Since the woman was sitting on a small barrel, she noticed Midas' presence quickly. Her black eyes were calculating and intimidating, but the appearance of a beautiful mature woman completely overshadowed her frightening gaze.
"What do you need from me, customer?" she asked, casually gesturing with the hand holding a piece of charcoal that had stained her fingers black. "Want to know where we are? Because that's an easy question to answer."
"Uh… Well, I…" His voice caught for a moment. He took a breath so he could properly form his words. At the end of the day, he was an adult, so he couldn't keep acting terrified of everything around him. "I have a land map of the world, and I know how to read it, but I was wondering if you could explain how to read an ocean map…"
"I see. That's not difficult at all, so take a seat, customer. For all the gold you offered us, I have no issue explaining a few things."
Midas showed a faint smile of relief.
"Thank you."
Unlike the captain, Tiana, or the rest of the crew, this woman seemed to be the calmest and kindest of them all. Even if her gaze looked like a death sentence, appearances could deceive anyone.
With a gentle motion of her charcoal-covered hand, she traced a small line between two points on the map. Several measuring tools rested on top of it.
"No need to thank me. I just need you to tell me your name. You know, so we can communicate properly."
"Of course." He nodded. "My name is Midas. I don't have a last name, so that's my full name."
She nodded.
"Your name is strange, but it sounds nice. I'm Kalika, navigator and gunslinger. I don't have a business card to offer you, but if you need my services and can pay for them, you'll know where to find me. I never miss a shot," she said, lightly patting the revolver on her belt.
Kalika was a woman from Stillwater who worked in the business. Though, to be fair, many people were in the business. The entire crew was part of it, though they also worked transporting cargo and passengers. As for what business it was, it was obvious they were in the business of killing people.
Midas had to pretend he hadn't heard that because, to him, killing others was an act he despised from the depths of his soul. Death itself was his greatest trauma.
***
A few minutes earlier, while Midas was speaking with the captain, Briar was having her own adventure on the other side of the ship. Unsure of exactly what to do, she followed Tiana while watching the crew members along the way.
"All this reminds me of the ants Midas and I saw before. Everyone was like an army working together."
"That's how this works, girl," Tiana replied, walking ahead of Briar. "We're people of the sea, and we have to learn how to work together if we don't want to die. Now…" She stopped near the ship's sail. "The only thing you really need to know right now is that all these guys are idiots. Mop idiot, mast idiot, rope idiot, blah, blah, blah. Every single one of them is an idiot except Kalika. She's cool."
Tiana pointed toward Kalika, who was reading the map.
Briar didn't understand why Tiana insulted the entire crew so naturally, but for some reason, it sounded funny.
Her bat-like ears twitched with the wind while her large eyes stared at Tiana with that murderous innocence that defined her.
"And you? What kind of idiot are you?"
Asking that with such an innocent smile was far from offensive. Briar thought she should ask something related to that, so she did without caring about the consequences. That was simply who she was.
Instead of getting offended, Tiana smiled at Briar's confident words. Her gloomy appearance was completely different from what hid beneath the darkness of her hood.
"Well… I guess I'm the magic idiot."
Briar's eyes lit up.
"Magic? Like Midas' magic?"
Tiana raised an eyebrow.
"Midas? The guy you came with?"
"Yeah. He's my friend. He uses really boring magic. Hahaha. You should see it."
"I see. So that's what I felt back then…" She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, recalling the moment she first saw Midas and sensed something strange. She looked toward the man with the golden hands—more specifically, at the inhibitor. "So that thing on his hands limits his power…"
"Oh! That's right! Yeah! You figured it all out! Midas is like me. When we're freed, we become stronger. Though Midas has never freed himself. It's like he's really scared of his magic or something. Honestly, I don't understand those human things. If you have power, you should use it, right?"
"Hmm… I suppose. And that thing on your shoulders limits your strength too, doesn't it?"
"Oh. Hahaha. Yeah. They gave it to me after I killed some people a few years ago. Some people underestimate me when they see the pillory."
"That's interesting. May I take a look at it? It won't take long."
"Of course. I don't mind at all, friend."
"Then, if you'll allow me…" Tiana grabbed the pillory and carefully examined the hemolith.
The stone glowed with a faint crimson light. It was as if someone had solidified blood itself and granted it calming properties through perfect, stable magic. The hemolith was a complex stone for Tiana's limited knowledge, but it was undoubtedly an interesting tool. Just imagining the hands that had created this beauty made Tiana's heart race with excitement.
It seemed she truly loved magic.
"Did you find something interesting?"
"Not much, really, but it's interesting to know there are more mages onboard. And you? It seems you also have talent for magic."
"I don't even know how to use magic. One time I read a weird book and learned how to fly."
"Hahaha." Briar's statement amused her. It was obvious she knew literally nothing about magic, mana, or the mystical aspects of this world. "That's impressive. If I could get one of those books, maybe I could fly too."
"Hahaha. You should. It's really fun. And it's even more fun when everything around you explodes and everyone starts running away. My blood heats up just thinking about it. Oh, wait. Blood. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since we arrived."
Suddenly, Briar turned around, giving Tiana her back.
"Can you take one of the bottles out of this weird bag?"
Tiana nodded and opened the backpack. When she pulled out one of the bottles, she noticed the thick crimson liquid inside.
It was blood.
That didn't seem to bother her in the slightest, though. She uncorked the bottle and handed it to Briar as casually as if she were offering a canteen of water.
With a smile, and with considerable difficulty, Briar drank the blood in one gulp, though some of it spilled over her chest.
"Fuaaah! Delicious! Midas is really smart for bringing so much food!"
Briar referred to blood as food, and that piqued Tiana's curiosity. She understood that Runeterra was a vast world capable of housing all kinds of creatures, and Briar was one of those creatures. Besides, Tiana couldn't help but think Briar was incredibly adorable, but she also sensed a strange feeling of danger whenever she looked at her. The same thing happened when she looked at Midas. It was as if Briar and Midas were somehow connected, evoking those dangerous sensations together.
"Hey! Hey! What should we do next? Midas told me to drink one of these bottles every day. Now that I've eaten, I'm bored."
This girl had an amusing amount of energy.
"I don't know. I don't really do anything special when I travel with these idiots. After all, I'm just their guardian. I protect them when things get ugly."
"Protect them? From what?"
Tiana smiled.
"From the horrible creatures that have spent millennia sinking ships and slaughtering their crews. Maybe something interesting will happen during this trip. You never know what fate has in store, right?"
As if the looming danger ignited excitement in her heart, Briar stared out at the ocean, hoping one of those creatures would appear. Fighting something unknown lurking beneath the deep waters for the first time only intensified her bloodlust, making her grin widen with sharp teeth gleaming.
"That sounds fun…"
***
Night fell, and everything darkened without even the faintest light illuminating the ocean. The waters had grown rough, and the wind began blowing violently. The ship's sail trembled as the captain stared seriously at his crew.
"Everyone, finish eating as fast as you can! Looks like we're going to be very busy tonight!"
A storm was approaching.
Midas was eating from a plate like a dog. Some of the crew members laughed at him for eating that way, but soon they would understand why Midas didn't use his hands.
"Midas… I'm bored. Let's play something," Briar said while crawling across the floor. "Let's play a game where I chase you while trying to bite your neck."
"That's not a game, Briar. Not when you're the only one enjoying it." Exasperated, Midas finished the bread and meat on his plate. "Why don't you try eating human food instead?"
Briar sat on the floor.
"Human food is fine. It's delicious, but I still prefer blood a thousand times more."
"If you say so… In that case, try counting numbers or something. Keep yourself distracted and don't kill anyone."
"I'm not in the mood to kill anyone toda-"
A blinding flash lit up the sky, interrupting Briar. A thunderclap roared violently moments later, and rain began pouring down. The ship shook gently as the waves grew larger.
"All of you useless bastards, get to your stations!" the captain roared from the helm.
Immediately, everyone on deck began preparing ropes. Some tied down the sail tightly with special knots. Meanwhile, Tiana and Kalika stood at the front of the ship. The wavebreaker was doing its job, but Tiana needed to reinforce the ship's wood with magic so it could withstand the force of the waves, while Kalika had to check the map to keep them on course.
No one looked desperate. Everyone was too focused.
That unsettled Midas, who had no choice but to approach Kalika and ask:
"Is this an electrical storm?"
Kalika never took her eyes off the map. Using a set square, she marked a different route.
"It's obvious when you look at it, young man. Yes, it's a storm, but that's not what worries us. If you pay attention to the crew, you'll notice something interesting."
Looking around the ship, Midas noticed the crew hauling cannons onto the deck. These cannons had something unusual about them—they'd been modified with covers so water wouldn't come into contact with the gunpowder. On top of that, many sailors were preparing hunting rifles, and the captain rested an enormous hammer on his shoulder.
"Are we preparing for a fight?"
"There you have it, Midas," Kalika replied. With a confident smile, she looked at him. "You paid for a luxury voyage with protection included. Now we're going to have to defend our customers from the horrors of the ocean."
At that moment, another bolt of lightning struck. The ocean lit up for an instant, and in the distance, multiple crimson eyes stared back at them.
The captain burst into vigorous laughter at the sight of those eyes.
"Hahahaha! There are so many of them! It's been ten years since I've seen this many!"
"What's happening, Kalika?!" Slightly frightened, Midas looked behind him after asking. Briar seemed to be talking with Tiana.
Once again, with complete confidence, Kalika drew her revolver and filled it with gunpowder.
"Leviathans. That's what's happening. They're solitary creatures, but they say they gather together when something scares them. The only bad part is that we don't know what scared them."
The mention of leviathans froze Midas' blood. Just as he remembered a book about marine biology, a violent impact slammed into the ship, knocking everyone to the floor.
One of the crew members fell into the water.
Midas ran to the edge to see if the man was still alive. He was floating in the sea, desperately waving his arms. Just as Midas was about to call for help, something emerged from the depths—
and the man disappeared.