1 Prologue

It was misty, but the boy's heart remained clear.

*AHEM*

The prepubescent-looking boy coughed aggressively as he adjusted to the saturated, humid air of the surroundings.

There was an elderly man behind him, dressed in golden, embroidered ceremonial robes that were so heavy they restricted his range of movements, limiting the elder to stiff, robotic maneuvers.

The man's deep-set eyes stared enigmatically at the boy looking towards the unknown horizon, both literally and metaphorically.

'I almost died at this young boy's hands...' The elderly man furrowed his brows as a crippling sense of shame overclocked his psyche.

"High Priest?" The boy turned around, revealing a determined gaze.

The elder's heart jumped at the sudden interruption, but he recovered his composure and stuttered, mouthing out in a fearful manner, "Yes?"

"Why is the channel getting wider and wider?" The boy asked in an innocently-curious manner and pointed at the expanse of waters ahead of their raft.

The elderly man furrowed his brows and stated, "We're reaching the end of the Ascension Strait, I'm afraid I can't help you anymore."

The two raftmen began paddling towards the land.

Soon enough, the raft had reached the banks of the channel, and in a spontaneous and anxious manner, the boy jumped out.

"Anything I should know about the trials ahead, High Priest?" The boy asked in a high-pitched, childish tone.

The elderly man seemed strangely proud of the boy, and nodded and said, "Ahead of here is the Apamatu Sea."

"You cannot cross it on your own, and will require the assistance of the inhuman boatman, Anupu."

"Inhuman?"

The elder stared straight at the boy's irises, and replied, "Yes, Anupu is somewhat strange, and the payment he asks of you will also be similarly strange, blessed earth-son."

"However, I'm quite confident you will be able to cross the sea successfully and reach the place where your skills will shine even further."

The boy snickered at the praise, but then, he brusquely turned around and muttered a simple, efficient, "Goodbye."

....

Longings of the material kind were the easiest to fulfill, and those of the soul, the hardest to fulfill.

The boy felt like he had a case of the latter.

His shoulders shook ever so slightly as he took more steps into the deep mist.

Perhaps it was more appropriate to start at the beginning, wasn't it?