As Rijin’s eyes opened slowly there was an endless black void that laid out before him. Grogginess filled his mind. As he looked around everything seemed to blur together creating a seamless field of view before him. Rijin took a step forward, and found that his foot caught on the blackness but he could not actually feel anything beneath him.

  “What is this?” Rijin said, yet he could not hear his voice in the void. The last thing Rijin remembered was going down to Thalassa’s beard. He was going to head back to his room but got pulled into a drink with Garus. After that the rest was a blur until he ended up here. Rijin walked around, examining his surroundings, seeing if there was anything more to the space but there was nothing he could find.

  Rijin held his hand to his side, trying to summon his trident, but the trident never appeared. He closed his eyes and called upon Thalassa but no wind came. This is what scared him the most. Wherever he was was a place that even his patron could not control. He continued to walk and ponder. It was more of the same for a while until out of the darkness Rijin saw a shimmer in the distance, if he could even call it the distance. Rijin narrowed his eyes, squinting his eyes to try and see exactly what the shimmer was. The shimmer began to morph, changing from a formless instance into a figure. A figure that was walking towards Rijin. Rijin could not tell how far away the figure was bit it was definitely coming closer to him. He stood tall, adjusting his spine, focusing on being as big and intimidating as possible. He may not have his trident or his patron’s magic but Rijin was still a 9 foot tall goliath, his physique alone was enough to scare off most.

  The figure got closer, and closer, until it was standing right before him confusing Rijin all the more. The being before Rijin had no form, it was an ethereal mess, a conglomeration of the void making Rijin wonder if the creature was bending the void around itself or if it was the void. The two stared at each other, or at least Rijin thought it was staring at him even though it did not have eyes, like they were waiting for the other to make a move.

  “What are you…” Rijin asked. Again he was unable to hear his own voice but the creature seemed to understand what he was saying. The creature seemed to just float there but after Rijin spoke its form changed. It began to have more humanoid features, had a little more of a suave-ness to it. The figure put its hands on its hips.

  “So we are speaking the common tongue. It has been a while since I spoke common,” the figure said, “well then, who are you?”

  “What do you mean?” Rijin asked, “you brought me here and you ask who I am?”

  The figure looked confused, “I did? Interesting. That is good to know.” The figures speech confused Rijin, maybe it was the grogginess, maybe it was the dream state he was in, but Rijin felt like he could not get a grasp of anything going on.

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  “Where are we?” Rijin asked.

  The figure looked around, “That is a good question…I feel like I have been here before but I don’t remember where exactly we are either. I will have to talk to Necronica about this…”

  Whoever or whatever this was it clearly knew as much about wherever they were as much as Rijin did, which made the situation even worse. Rijin took a deep breath and centered himself. Instead of going to the worst extremes he decided to remain as level headed as he could. Anxiety was not going to get him out of this place nor was it going to make it any better. The first thing Rijin had to do was establish contact and a baseline of understanding.

  “Well since you seem to be as lost as me, I am Rijin,” Rijin put his hand out to the figure.

  A line appeared across the figure's face that turned into a smile, “I had a name long ago but for now you can call me Nomad.” The figure reached out and shook Rijin’s. The figure's hand was small in Rijin’s palm and unlike anything Rijin had ever felt. It felt like he was holding nothing, but the nothingness was slimy and oozing.

  “I take it you are not from Hize?” Rijin asked.

  “Originally yes but not anymore. I dabble here and there. Never really sticking to one place. I think that is how I ended up here, my travels must have led me to a place even I have trouble finding.” Nomad answered.

  “You mentioned Necronica. Do you know the goddess of death?” Rijin asked.

  “She is an old friend. Haven’t really talked to her in a while. She is dreadfully boring. What about you?” Nomad took a big sniff, “you smell like the sea. I guess Thalassa got her tentacles on you.”

  Rijin stepped back a little disgusted, “Yes…I am her champion.”

  Nomad nodded, “I could tell. Gosh she leaves the smell of the ocean everywhere, its sickening. She used to actually smell pretty good but now I can’t stand the stench,” Nomad made a fake throwing up noise.

  Rijin huffed a little, “You have ties with Necronica and you know Thalassa…Are you trying to claim to be a deity of some kind?” Rijin spoke with caution. He had only encountered one deity, his patron, but he had heard tales of the way others tended to interact with humans; it was not always pleasant.

  “Diety, god, patron, victim, all these different words have been used over the years. I have found enjoyment exploration, I do not want any words tying me down,” Nomad said. Again Rijin felt as if he could not get a clear grasp of the figures speech. Rijin could understand the words, but his brain felt like it was reaching out for a ledge that always slipped through his fingers.

  “You are a fun guy. Wanna join me?” Nomad asked.

  “Excuse me?” Rijin said, a little befuddled.

  “Come on! I am way more fun than the sea witch,” Nomad leaned in close, “I don't even require celibacy.” Nomad grinned as they said this.

  Rijin began to feel uncomfortable but also knew that the wrong move in upsetting a deity could be the end for him. “I am already a champion. I cannot serve another.”

  Nomad slumped back, exaggerating their sadness, “I see. Man it would be fun to have a champion.” Nomad forlornly looked off into the distance. Not even a few seconds later they perked up again.

  “I know! I can just ask your sister! She seems like she would be a good champion.” Nomad said. Rijin’s mind finally focused, he was still groggy but the mention of his sister helped to cut through the noise.