“Haaaaaa!” He wipes his eyes with one hand as he straightens again. “You have quite the guts for a puny human. But no,human, I’m afraid I cannot simplylet him go. You don’t know how manyyearshave waited for this moment! For how long I’ve waited to exact my sweet revenge!”
“Um, what exactly did he even do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Wind roars in response, lightning flashing overhead.
“Damn Poseidon,” you mutter, clutching the rail for dear life as that buffeting gust of angry wind nearly blows you over into the ocean. “It must have been ages ago! Just forget about it already!”
There’s something cathartic about yelling into the wind right in front of him when there’s no way the angry old sea tyrant can hear you.
Another wave of dizziness washes over you as the wind finally subsides, and you hang onto the rail with all your strength.
You can’t hold out much longer. You’d better figure out a way to get out of this quick, otherwise both you and Ziros are going to be dead.
“What did he do?!” Poseidon roars when it’s finally quiet enough to hear himself speak again, “What did he do!? Ha! The little human asks what he did!”
More thunder booms across the water, and you wince as another gust of wind slams against you, towering waves rocking the boat like a toy in a bathtub.
Finally, when it’s quiet enough to hear yourself once again, you ask meekly, “So, uh, that bad, huh?”
You’re trying to think of what could possibly have been worth holding a centuries-long grudge over, but Poseidon only blinks, taking a small step back.
Like he’s momentarily disoriented
Turning his head slightly to the side.
Blinking slowly.
“You know,” he says tentatively, somewhat thoughtfully. “I…don’t remember.”
What!?
All this and he doesn’t even remember what he’s so furious over!?
Or maybe…
Maybe.
What if it was your sorceress blood working its magic. What if calling him by his true name is what brought him to the surface to see you, and now that you demanded he forget, it came true!?
No way it could be that easy, right?
But what if…
After all, somehow your ancestor was strong enough to imprison Ziros in that book.
Maybe you’ve just unlocked a little of your true skills.
Maybe you should try this again.
Except…
You’re feeling awfully weak.
Whether it’s from the lifeline draining your magic to keep Ziros alive underwater or because you somehow managed to use magic to make Poseidon do what you asked, you can barely stand.
Clutching the rail, you ask, “Since you don’t remember why you’re angry in the first place, how about we just call all this even and you let both of us go, okay? Besides,” you pause, gesturing to the glowing lifeline, which is starting to glow a lot weaker, as if there’s just not much more energy left to go through it. “See, if he dies, so do I. And—” for good measure, you add, “It’s my birthday.”
“Your birthday?” Poseidon laughs. “Oh, well, if it’syour birthday, then I guess I have to.”
