Fen moved forward, cautiously sniffing Vector’s hand as the man stood without showing the slightest hint of fear. The greeting gave Xain a chance to get a closer look at his forearms, which were thick with muscle, but unlike Xain’s own, showed not a single scar.
“Your array,” Xain said, nodding to Vector's right arm, where the last two runes of Teiwaz and Ehwaz were visible, “It must be what, eight long?”
“Nine,” Vector answered, but without a bit of arrogance.
Nine? That would mean he was born with at least 4 runes.
Once a runic user on Yid had learned more than five runes, they were barred from leaving the Realm. The basis of this rule was unclear to Xain, but Bow had explained off hand that gaining runes on Yid was different than in the other Realms.
Anyone from Yid could acquire all the runes, aside from Yid’s three banned ones of course, within any realm. But the process took more time, and the chance of dissonance was much higher than if they were to walk the Path. It had something to do with the Embodiment phase, and how it was different to understand a rune within the Realm in which they were held, than trying to learn it in another.
The exception was, to some extent, users on Yid. Because of the Realms position in the Tree, it was said to have a unique relationship with the runes, a theory that was further proven by how everyone born there held at least one rune.
It was also the only Realm where Husks took form, which Xain was sure had something to do with the runes, but beyond that he could not even speculate.
Typically before Seeds were sent out to the Nine Realms, they would acquire the five runes allowed, and then learn the rest in the Realm in which they took root. Some Houses participated in exchanges, allowing users to move from one Realm to another in service of more quickly growing their array, providing them with a chance to gain other Realms runes on the associated world, but these exchanges were dictated by the specific relationships between Realms.
No Realm was forced to host other Realms runic users, aside from those who walked the Path of Discovery.
“Impressive,” Xain said, feeling less adequately prepared by the moment.
“May I inquire to the length of your own?” Vector asked, petting Fen behind the ears as the wolf continued to warm to the man.
Bow had told him not to let others know of how weak he was, but something about Vector told him he would be an important ally in the journey to come.
He also told me to trust my instincts.
Xain knew it was possible for runic users with psychic focused arrays to influence one's mind and make them feel a false sense of security, but seeing as how Dagaz reacted thus far to other runes' direct influence, he determined that was not the case.
“One,” Xain said, wincing as he heard the defensiveness in his voice.
Vector didn't give any visible reaction, just continued to pet Fen and nodded his head once.
“I awoke with four, though I often ponder how my life would have been altered had I only held a single.”
So he is a Husk too…
The fact that Xain was also a Husk was something he was going to keep to himself, as it directly contradicted the pass which had allowed his passage to the outer Realms. According to that, he was naturally born to Bow and his wife, who had died a short time after Xain’s own birth.
“If I may be so bold, why would one such as yourself be selected for the journey?” Vector asked, his dark brown, almost black eyes focusing on Xain.
Normally such attention made Xain shrink, especially when others looked him directly in the eyes seeing as he had been self conscious of his mismatched irises his whole life, but the gentleness at which Vector looked at him was enough to quell any urge to look away.
“I was… I mean, the Norns selected me,” Xain said. Which was the truth, but like his birth, Xain was not ready to discuss how they had personally come to his home. Kind eyes didn't mean that he was going to share how fucked his story actually was.
“Ah,” Vector said, nodding slowly. “Fate is a fickle beast,” he continued, moving his hand to Fen’s chest as he continued to stroke the wolf.
“Yeah…” Xain said.
If you only knew.
“May I assume then, that you are from the house of Yid?”
“I am,” Xain said, nodding, and catching a slight movement out of the corner of his eye.
Vector, noticing this as well, turned to place both hands on the rail and gaze out over the harbor as it slowly began to pass them by.
“It seems we have cast off,” Vector said idly.
“Yeah,” Xain said again, unable to resist looking back at the stone wall still visible from where the boat had been moored. It was really happening. There was no going back.
“The captain will soon raise the dome. May I suggest we find your room?”
“The dome?” Xain asked.
“Indeed. The secrets of interrealm travel are well guarded. Soon, we will be enshrouded in a dome that will limit our view to only that which is deemed safe. I suspect it is a fairly accurate view of the world beyond, though I truly cannot say. On the voyage along the coast, one may believe nothing had been changed, if not for the obvious lack of wind.”
“Huh,” Xain mused, wondering for a moment what type of sigil could perform such a feat as to cloak an entire ship of this size in a massive inward illusion.
“Oh, right,” he continued, remembering what Vector had said. “That would be great. I don't think even if I found Martin he would help me now. But, he didn’t like Fen, so fuck him.”
This had been a life long rule for Xain. If you didn't like his wolf, or Fen didn't like you, there was no chance of any type of friendship forming. Seeing both Fen and Vector’s reaction to one another had put Xain’s mind further at ease, since Fen was the best judge of character he knew.
“Heh,” Vector chuckled, leading Xain across the deck to a door near the front of the ship.
“I am inclined to agree. A difficult man, to say the least.”
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…
The interior of the ship was nothing like Xain had expected. Not that he knew what to expect, but the upper deck had generally fit his notion of what such a vessel would be, with a large wooden section in the center, that was around 300 feet long and 200 feet wide. This was the observation deck Vector had explained, which would be set up with sets of chairs and various bars for the Seed’s to use during their journey. It was also where the three massive masts sat, but with the dome in place, it would be impossible to know if the sails that would soon be unfurled were actually there, or just another bit of show on their hosts' part.
While sails were used for many smaller vessels in aiding the runic sigils which acted as the main source of power to move the ships, Vector had said such things were likely just all part of the illusion for the ferry.
“It is true that we must first depart on the sea, however what exists between Realms is known only to those who traverse such places. A captain of one particular vessel, after several too many drinks mind you, once relayed to me that the ships actually travel on something much like a bridge of energy. His description was difficult to understand due to the state he was in, though it sounded much like a river of unknown power suspended between the Realms.”
Xain had no idea what this meant, but he had accepted this explanation with a few nods of agreement.
On either end of the large observation deck sat the forecastle and poop deck, which were raised sections, a hundred or so feet long, that extended the rest of the way to the bow and stern, each equipped with ladders providing the crew access to the upper levels.
In the center of both raised sections were doors leading to the ship's interior decks.
Xain quickly learned the ferry consisted of six levels in total.
From the observation deck, they had entered the door set into the forecastle, though like the poop deck, aside from the staircase which led to the lower levels, both sections were living quarters reserved for the captain and crew. Still, despite being for the workers, the hallway was lined with intricately made flickering lamps, walls painted a deep gold, and had been inlaid with runic sigils, detailed paintings, and grand doors leading to different crew quarters.
A long golden rug woven with a large variety of flowers stretched from the door they had entered to the staircase, further adding to the sense of opulence the ship held.
One deck down the main dining room sat in the middle of the ship, and on either side were the living quarters reserved for the Seeds.
The third deck was for recreation, runic practice, and housing the various runic beasts who accompanied the Seeds on their journey.
The fourth deck consisted of various multi-purpose rooms, including a ballroom, second dining room, and several conference rooms where Seeds were able to complete their contracts to take root in their specific Realms.
“Representatives of each Realm board the ship when it docks, and finalize the contracts with their Seeds before they are given leave to disembark,” Vector had explained.
“No matter the contract one previously held, upon boarding the ferry, all become unrooted, even if just in name. It is a technicality which supposedly dictates one's ability to choose their path. For most it is nothing but a formality, though it is only through this that I was able to free myself from Asgard’s chains.”
Xain had wanted to ask more about what the hell the man meant by that, but Vector had continued his explanation of the ship without giving Xain a chance.
He then learned that the fifth and sixth decks were for cargo and crew operations, and subsequently were off limits to the passengers.
Martin probably would have told me to visit them just to get me in trouble.
Xain didn't know why he had such a grudge against the man, but something about him had rubbed him wrong. Aside from his clear disdain for Fen, he had done nothing aside from being a bit short, but he had gotten the sense the man held nothing but animosity for him.
Vector had explained all of this while they walked through a hall so large there was no question sigils were involved in its creation, as the ceilings were a good 20 feet high, and the halls themselves were easily 15 feet across. Similar to the above hall, the walls were adorned with gold paint, a variety of huge tapestries and murals, a menagerie of statues depicting rune holders and runic creatures, a huge golden rug, and several large chandeliers in place of lamps to light their way.
His books had given Xain had some idea of what the estates of the upper ranks of each House looked like, and was sure the ship’s decor would give even the most prestigious manor a run for sheer excess.
“Ah,” Vector said, stopping by a set of huge golden double doors etched with the likeness of the World Tree.
“I believe this room is yours. My own quarters are directly across the hall,” he said, gesturing to an identical door behind him.
“This place is…” Xain said, looking around with his mouth open.
“I admit,” Vector said into the silence “even though I am well acquainted with such displays of wealth, I find it difficult to grasp how such is possible within the confines of a ship.”
“Where is everyone else?” Xain suddenly asked.
It was only now he had taken notice of the fact that he had yet to see another individual since they entered the ship. Even on the observation deck, other than Vector, Xain had only seen what looked to be members of the crew.
“These quarters are reserved for those who walk the Path of Discovery. The ones who have pledged to take root are housed beyond the dining room, in the aft portion of the ship. A fact which has already been quite the point of contention, I assure you.”
“So all of this… it's just us?” Xain asked, not entirely able to wrap his head around it.
“Indeed. Though, I must admit it does bring me a certain amount of relief. You were our only new addition at the last port, with the others coming from either the House estates in the north, or directly from the capital. I boarded in the northern port, along with the others from the House of Asgard.”
“It was only upon arriving that they were informed of my… decision.”
“You chose to break from the house,” Xain said, putting it together.
“I did,” Vector said, nodding.
“And they didn't like that, I take it?”
“It has created a bit of animosity between myself and the others, yes,” Vector said.
Xain wanted to ask more, but it seemed like Vector was letting the story out bit by bit, and there was no need to rush the man. He could well understand the feeling of leaving everything you knew behind, and was not in any hurry to dive into the experience with a man he just met, no matter how nice he was.
“Just your old house, or…” he let the question hang, but had decided it would be good to at least understand the basic mood he had walked into. Besides, if he and Vector were bound for the same destination, Xain was far more inclined to support a potential ally over those who, by the very nature of walking the Path, were, if not enemies, certainly adversaries to some degree.
Those who walked the Path of Discovery and survived, were often given contracts above even those of lesser nobility within each House. All Houses had their own form of hierarchy, aside from Muspellsheim who preached complete equality for all its citizens and runic users alike, but they were such a small House due to the population restrictions on their world of fire, they were seen as an abnormality within the Realms.
This meant, to the others, Xain and Vector posed a direct threat to their status.
Not that I can join one anyways, but they don't know that.
“My former House certainly holds the most hostility, though the others, especially those born to noble families, seem inclined to support House Asgard in this matter.”
Captain Tryst’s warning was making more sense by the second.
“I must apologize in advance for any difficulties you endure due to our brief association. Should you wish to distance yourself from me, I would not blame you in the least.”
“Yeah, that's okay,” Xain said with a smile. “Ive had a weird couple of days. And honestly, you seem like a good guy. Fen agrees. So, how about instead, we follow the captain's suggestion; I'll watch your back, and you do the same for me?”
The slight smile Vector gave felt like his equivalent to pulling Xain into a hug, and only then did he notice how tense the man had been up until then. It was as if Xain’s acceptance of him lifted a weight, maybe not fully off his shoulders, but at least enough he could breathe.
“I would… I would like that,” Vector said, bowing his head.
“So, friends?” Xain said, holding out his hand.
Vector looked at it for only a moment, before grasping it firmly as he said “Friends.”
“Great!” Xain beamed. “Now, this place must have a bar. Let me drop my stuff and clean up a bit, but then how about a drink?”
