Vector sat in Xain’s room while he and Fen visited the observation deck to allow the wolf to fully relieve himself before dinner, and once again went over the confrontation in his mind.

  He had offered to join them, but Xain had insisted he stay in the room on the off chance someone from the other Houses wandered up on deck. The captain had sent a note saying Fen was free to use the observation deck for his business for the time being, and promised he had given orders that the others were not to leave their room for any reason for the rest of the evening. Still, Xain had rightfully pointed out that most of the others aboard had little experience with rules being imparted upon them, and thought it not worth the risk.

  When Vector said that Xain was likely in more danger than he was, Xain only smiled and patted Fen on the back before explaining the wolf had his back, and left Vector alone to think.

  There were several things which Vector still could not fully grasp no matter how many times he replayed the scene in his mind.

  He had no issue admitting that Tor was a strong array holder. His array was completely combat focused, and Tor had spent years learning how to properly use it. Against the other Asgardians, only Vector was able to best him in their training sessions, and even he had struggled more than once.

  Xain had not fought like one trained in the Houses though. He was efficient, and from what Vector saw, held nothing back. Had neither Martin nor the captain stepped in, Vector was sure Xain or Fen would have killed him.

  Aside from the sheer brutality hidden under the man's affable smile and friendly demeanor, there was a calculated ruthlessness Vector had not expected.

  On top of that, quick as it had been, when Xain first connected with Tor, Vector had seen the flicker in his Lighting Armor.

  Vector had sparred with Tor enough times to know his ability with that skill, and he had never known it to react in such a way. It was almost as if Xain had pulled the energy from Tor, but if that was the case, how could such a thing be possible when the man only held a single rune?

  While it was common enough for runic users to hide their array from others, Vector had been sure he was telling the truth when he said he only held a single rune. On top of that, his other skills were clearly manifestations of Uruz, and as he was also a holder of the rune, Vector was well aware of the extent of powers the rune granted.

  None of them can explain what I saw.

  More than that, the amount of power he was able to access from the rune was incredible. Uruz was a well known combat focused rune, but it only truly began to shine when amplified with the addition of other runes in an array.

  However, such raw power was not unheard of, as individual efficacy with each rune varied greatly even between those who held the same core rune. But if Vector didn't know better, he would have guessed Xain had stacked Uruz at least once, if not twice, to have the ability to pull so much from the rune.

  But stacking a rune was only possible within the nine realms. Aside from gaining Nidhogg's blessing for his array, he had planned to gain an additional stack of Uruz to his own array on Niflheim, a process that required one to go through the last three stages of runic acquisition for a rune they already held.

  It was not an easy task, but the result was an amplified version of the rune itself, while adding a measure of stability to the overall array. For the array he was seeking, he would need to go through the process for at least seven of the runes he currently held, lest he risk the fate of the last person to seek the Seven Dragons Array.

  Stacking did not guarantee he would not go insane as that man had, but it greatly reduced his chances of dissonance, a prospect that was particularly high among runic creature based arrays.

  Most users did not go through the trouble, as stacking a rune often took longer than gaining the original, and was a practice mostly reserved for those who were born as rune holders outside of Yid. But if Vector was going to see his plans through, it was a step he had to take.

  Aside from Xain’s oddities though, the real surprise was Fen.

  He had known the wolf was strong due to the way his own array flared when he first met Fen, but had never before known it possible for a runic beast and their master to be in such perfect sync.

  Not master. Friend.

  Maybe that was the difference. In the House of Asgard, runic beasts were not highly regarded. Vector knew in Asgard's home Realm, they were often hunted for sport, and for the relics one could make from their bodies.

  This mentality had led to the near complete extinction of runic creatures within Asgard, and served in furthering the view that their only purpose was to oblige the needs of the House.

  He knew it was not the same within all the Realms, but he had never known a partnership such as the one Xain and Fen had was possible.

  There is far more to them than meets the eye.

  Vector was suddenly very glad they were on his side. He had planned to do this journey on his own, and while that may still happen, for the time being it was nice to not feel so fucking alone.

  Friends? That’s a first.

  …

  “I've never seen so much food in one place before,” Xain said, looking at the massive spread the crew had delivered to his quarters.

  Platters of various dishes with origins in all the 10 realms covered the entry room table, with more strewn about the floor and bar, making for a display Xain had not even dreamed possible.

  Even after an hour of eating they had barely put a dent in the spread, though Fen continued to do his best in making up for Xain and Vector’s shortcomings. Still, Xain thought with this meal alone they could eat for a week and there would be food left over.

  Additionally, the captain clearly agreed with Bow in the restorative power of ale, as the crew had mentioned the two small kegs they brought in at the end were from Tryst’s private stores, and that if they desired more, they need only ask.

  “Is this normal?” Xain asked, looking over at Vector who was in the process of making his fifth plate.

  “This is a bit more grand than the previous nights,” Vector admitted, “though I suspect your little show had something to do with it.”

  “Our show,” Xain corrected.

  “We're in this together now.”

  “Indeed,” Vector agreed with a slight smile.

  The sudden knock at the door surprised them both. Fen on the other hand, had clearly been expecting it as he didn't even raise his head from the plate he was currently working on.

  Without waiting for a reply, the door opened and Tryst walked in wearing a smile so similar to Bow’s that Xain nearly winced at the sudden pang of longing for his dad.

  “Gentlemen,” the captain said, making his way through the maze of plates to the closest keg, and quickly finding a mug to fill.

  “Captain,” Xain and Vector said at the same time, as they both inclined their heads in greeting.

  “Exciting first day,” Tryst noted while he filled his mug, and moved to take a seat on the couch across from where Xain and Vector sat, a move which required him to push a variety of dishes to the side to make room.

  “It was,” Xain agreed.

  “The three of you made quite the impression on the others. Aside from those bound for Hel, I don't think any of the others had seen anything like that before.”

  So I was right.

  Xain reaffirmed his initial assessment of Hel’s Rooted, and confirmed he should keep an eye on them in the future.

  “I owe you an apology,” Tryst said, turning to Vector.

  “I knew Martin was planning something, but his status on my ship was a bit complicated. Had I acted without him making a move, it would have proved an issue for the company. Our relationship with some of the Realms is rather precarious at the moment, and I wanted to avoid anything that could aggravate it further.”

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  “It’s a poor excuse, but I hope you can forgive me.”

  So Martin was really planning on killing Vector?

  Xain had gleaned this from the captain's previous words, but hearing it so bluntly was still a surprise. It was obvious in the moment that Xain had been his target, but it seemed that was only due to how Xain had escalated the situation.

  Knowing that he had angered Martin enough to act when he, and thus foiled his plans for Vector, brought him an oddly strong sense of satisfaction.

  “I understand, Captain. I feel I must also apologize for any difficulty my choices have brought,” Vector said.

  “Oh, fuck that,” Tryst scoffed. “I’m the one who's sorry. Had Xain not provided an opportunity for me to intervene, things would have been much more complicated. As it was, no one can accuse me of unjust interference, and I got the chance to let them know I was aware of their little scheme.”

  “Besides, you did nothing wrong. You made a choice, one presented to every Seed. It’s our job to ensure that choice is respected. At least until you step off the boat.”

  “And on a personal note, those Thor fuckers got off easy. Asgardians are typically a pain in my ass, but the last few seasons it's gotten markedly worse. Fewer Seeds on the ship seems to give them the confidence to push their bullshit to the very edge.”

  “They would have never dared tried something like that even a hundred years ago.”

  “But, and I hate to be the one to tell you this, it's only going to get worse from here.”

  “I doubt you will have too much trouble in the Roots, but once you reach the Understory Realms, I would suggest you prepare yourselves for a good deal of difficulty. The Realms are weird right now. Happens like this before every Ragnarok. And it doesn't help that the last three have been so weak. People are afraid the next one could reach as high as Cataclysmic on the scale.”

  Xain had been happy to listen, soaking in all this free information from the captain, but at this he couldn't help but ask, “How do they know? I mean, I know the last one was a while ago, but I thought Ragnarok was a relatively random event. I didn't think there was a way to predict it.”

  “The last one was over 600 years ago. And there isn't," Tryst confirmed.

  “But people start seeing the ‘signs’, and there is no stopping them from connecting dots, even if they don't exist.”

  “Like how few Seeds there are?” Xain asked.

  The port had been bustling with activity, which had him believing that there would be a slew of Seeds getting on the ferry with him. From what he had been told though, he was the only one.

  “Aye. That's part of it. Though, last season, we had three times the Seeds we have this run. It happens. I already have preliminary manifests from some Houses for next season, and just between the three Houses who have sent them over, there are twice as many as we are bringing this time out.”

  “But tell that to those at the port. I doubt most of them had any idea you were a Seed. That’s not a slight on you, it's just most we pick up, even from there, are already Rooted, and wear the House colors.”

  “By tomorrow, half of Yid will be talking about how not a single Seed boarded in the last port, and how Ragnarok is going to happen in the next week. And people will believe it, conveniently forgetting that Ragnarok always follows the long season.”

  The long season referred to Vetr, the Tree’s 10th month, and a period that was both month and season. Unlike the other nine months of the year, which were each composed of 30 standard Midgardian days, it had no set length.

  The other seasons of Var, Sumar, and Haustr were each made up of three months, their passing recorded by a central department on Midgard whose role was essential in keeping all of the Realms in sync. It didn't seem difficult at first glance, but when you understood that a standard Midgardian day of 24 hours was two full solar cycles on Muspellsheim, and not even a full cycle on Jotun, complications arose quickly.

  This system was created in an effort to bring the Realms on to a single calendar, and worked well over all. While the actual hours composing a day varied, each Realm’s core world closely adhered to the seasons, and any discrepancies were resolved with the onset of Vetr which simultaneously descended upon every Realm at once.

  Vetr had no predetermined length, but typically lasted between 60 and 120 standard Midgardian days, and ended when the first buds sprouted on the central Midgardian Tree, an event which marked both the end of the long season and the start of Var. When a Ragnarok event was going to occur, it would do so after an exceedingly long Vetr, typically lasting between 300-400 days, making the 10th month and fourth season nearly equal to the entire standard year.

  Such a season was the only true sign of a Ragnarok event Xain knew of, though he found it unsurprising to learn others sought additional omens. Still, as Xain had boarded the ferry in the third month of Sumar, there was still at least one more season before Vetr would even begin.

  “Vector said there were less Seeds the closer to Ragnarok it was,” Xain mused, glancing at his friend. Vector didn't come off as someone who bought into faux signs, so he was curious where this had come from.

  “There is some truth in that,” Tryst agreed. “But currently, that has more to do with the population of runic users in the Nine Realms and strained interrealm politics than anything else. Like I said, things have gotten complicated as of late. I won't bore you with the details now, as you will find out for yourself soon enough. It's good the two of you are starting where you are. Muspellsheim and Niflheim, while they have their own problems, are the only realms who have managed to remain relatively stable. Even Hel has somehow been dragged into the current bullshit.”

  Xain wondered how much Vector knew about this, and decided he would ask him about it later.

  So much to learn…

  It felt as if all at once, the shit he had tried to ignore was finding him. But if he could use the current situation to his advantage by figuring out a way to hide in the chaos, it may just work in his favor.

  If the Realms were all focused on their own business, there would be less eyes on him.

  “Which brings me to the purpose of my visit,” Tryst said, looking between Xain, Vector, and Fen.

  “Xain, this is for you,” he said, handing Xain his pass back. A quick glance showed it had gained one additional stamp, but otherwise looked unchanged.

  “While your gambit today was successful, I would warn against trying something like that again. Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with you fighting on the ship. It was common to have a few deaths each season back when the ship was full. But back then, there were far more who chose to walk the Path. If one of the Rooted decided to test their luck in taking a rune from one of them, they had others who could back them up.”

  “Im not saying that there was not competition between those on the Path of Discovery, but at least on the ferry over, sharing the Path was enough to bind them together.”

  “It’s just the two of you now. And Xain, I think you have made it clear taking your rune would be more trouble than its worth, especially with that wolf of yours. Similarly, Vector, I would guess the prize of acquiring your array is dampened by the inevitable cost. But I wouldn't push your luck too far.”

  Xain had thought about this already. It was well known that killing another runic user allowed one to take the runes they held, bypassing the normal steps runic acquisition required. Had he actually killed Tor, he would have been able to take the man's array, or part of it at least, as his own.

  This held a far higher danger of dissonance than progressing through the normal steps, but often the benefit of quickly acquiring the runes outweighed the cost.

  While no one but the captain and Vector should know he only held one rune, Xain didn't put it past Martin to have made that common knowledge.

  Xain felt a sudden and intense violation of privacy at the thought, and was immensely grateful that Fen’s array had remained a complete mystery.

  “Thank you for the warning,” Xain said, honestly.

  If someone were to kill him and take his rune, it wouldn't be Uruz they were taking. It would be Dagaz. And if that happened, there was no telling the outcome.

  “Don't let it weigh on you too much. Arrays are kept secret for a reason, and so long as you don’t tell anyone what you're working with, all they will know is you can access ice.”

  Did he just read my mind?

  “Besides,” Tryst continued, “It looks to me that you have gained some support. The Jotun certainly are looking at you in a different light now. And, I couldn't say if this was a good thing or not, but you have drawn the interest of Hel’s Rooted. I wouldn't be surprised if they have already reported back to their realm on the situation.”

  “Might not be a bad idea for you to speak with them. Hel is not known for caring much about anything outside her realm, so to get Her attention, well it could go a few ways. Though if you play it right, you may be able to gain the favor of the only primordial god left.”

  From what Xain knew, Hel had not directly interacted with anyone outside her Realm for over 2,000 years. The thought that she may take an interest in them was more terrifying than anything.

  “Right,” Xain said, nodding as he composed himself.

  Things were happening quickly. He had just boarded the fucking ship, and already there was talk of primal gods.

  One step at a time.

  “Well,” Tryst said, standing. “I have some things I need to take care of. The Company will have questions about Martin. Best to get ahead of it, while I can.”

  “We will leave Yid’s Realm tomorrow morning, and should arrive in Niflheim two days after that. Earlier if the Tree is kind. Tomorrow feel free to explore the ship. And I would like to invite you both to dinner with me.”

  “Grr,” Fen said.

  “Excuse me,” Tryst corrected, nodding to Fen, “The three of you. I hope you can make it.”

  “We’ll be there,” Xain answered.

  While he couldn't speak for Vector directly, he thought between eating in his room alone, in the dining room alone, or with them, the choice was an easy one.

  “Indeed,” Vector agreed.

  “Wonderful. And I have to say, it is a real pleasure to have you all aboard.”

  With that, Tryst slipped out of the room.

  “I believe,” Vector said standing, “I will retire as well. Today has been… interesting to say the least,” he continued, giving Fen a good scratch before moving to the door.

  “Thank you, Xain. I… I am glad to have met you. It is a new experience for me, being able to call someone a friend. I suppose, until tomorrow then?” Vector asked.

  “Until tomorrow,” Xain said, not even trying to hold back his smile.

  “Good.” Vector said.

  “Good,” Xain agreed, as he watched Vector close the door.