Max Fowler had only been on Nava for a few short months. After being whisked away to an alien planet full of danger and death, he had learned to thrive while adopting his title of Lost Lord. Still, he thought about what his life on Earth could have been, who he would have been, and how happy might he have been.

Becoming a [Water Mage] was something of a fantasy to him. Of course, he knew of Earthen depictions of magic and monsters, but there was nothing close to the real thing. Magic was now a part of his life, literally after losing an arm, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to give that up. At least, not without a fight.

Emi, his partner in crime, bonded companion, and newborn monster would have to agree with him. She knew Max’s memories of Earth more than anyone else. She saw the world he came from; she understood his desires and hopes for the future. And most importantly, Emi knew what kept Max up at night.

It wasn’t the monsters of the world, like fire-breathing wolves or fish who could swallow a man whole. It wasn’t the monstrous organizations of Nava, like Vast Empire or the Druid Order. It wasn’t the threat of city-wide devastation, nor was it the potential that Max could one day be the cause of such an event.

He would be hard-pressed to admit it, but Emi knew better. Max was worried about many things, but as he became more powerful, as he became a beacon for those around him, he worried about letting them down… Just like he had with [King] Tobyn Salae.

The King’s death had taken a toll on the young Lost Lord. Tobyn’s death was one of the few moments in Max’s life that he desperately regretted. Others had died for him before, but none in such a way as the patriarch of Salae. Now the Kingdom of Salae was being run by a selfish hack – which could have been avoided if Max was just a bit stronger.

If he had been a bit more perceptive.

If he had been a bit quicker.

If he had been someone else.

If someone else was taken from Earth and placed on Nava, would the outcome of Tobyn’s fate be changed? Probably not. Not in the way Max wanted, at least. He knew better than anyone that his life on this hellish planet was not his own. He knew the Divine, the powerful, and the untrusting had placed stake in his life – meaning their hands had been involved in many facets of his day-to-day life.

But now, hopefully, he would find answers. Or rather, he would demand answers.

The Abyss port city of the Water Dimension housed many secrets. The Mur, a race that was said to be lost to time, casually lived under the crushing pressure of the deep city. A Lord overseeing the prosperity of such a place – one that was said to be dead by those of Nava. And many export paths, each leading away from the city and towards elsewhere.

Aquis the outsider duo’s guide and a prominent resident of the city was their ticket in. A Mur – one that had full butterfly wings and grey-pale skin – led Max and Emi through the streets. As they walked, Aquis greeted his fellow Mur individually and with personal holdings. He knew of everyone, and they knew of him.

It was a refreshing sight to Max. Even though the city was large, that didn’t distract from the personality of its citizens. Each had their own story, each had their own loves and ambitions, and everyone helped achieve everyone else’s goals.

Abyss city was similar to Max’s pseudo home of Lesterwood. Both cities grew outwards rather than upwards, had specialized districts, and were made of smiling faces that were drowned away by the crowds of the streets.

It was eerie to him, but not unexpected. Everyone in the streets was Mur, while Max and Emi were not. That meant, they were the odd ones out. Max was no stranger to prejudice of cities that cater to a specific race. Esmel was a great example of that – he still remembered the whispers and insults during his first few days in the Elven city.

Abyss was different though. He was not met with looks of disgust or mumbled terms, instead, he was greeted just like anyone else. From the brief minutes of walking through the damp cobblestone pathways, it was apparent that the city was something unique.

Whether it was the advanced magical lighting, religious street preaching, or the inclusion of nondescript wealth, the city itself felt alive. It was weird for Max to admit, but the city itself felt like its own being, one that relied on its citizens more than its infrastructure or amenities. There was no poverty, no homeless, no burden.

It was perfect… Which only made Abyss city weirder.

“Aquis,” Max spoke up after rounding a corner and passing a school yard, “What is… wrong with this place…?” His tone came off as quizzical nonunderstanding rather than rude and direct, but he didn’t miss the depressed twitch Aquis’s eye made.

The man quickly regained his composure, “Tell me, what do you know of the Mur?”

Max and Emi shared a glance, “Just what they teach in the intro-level history classes at the Mage Guild. The Mur were one of the three original races, they were said to be a test - one that was lost to time. The test itself lodged a rift between the Gods which ultimately started the First Age.”

Aquis smiled and waved to a shopkeeper before speaking, “All very true. But, as you can see, we are here and very much alive… The Mur have some interesting Racial Traits. For lack of a better way to phrase it, we remember everything.”

“Everything?” Emi echoed.

“Everything,” Aquis nodded and fluttered his wings, “My wings tell the tale of my life. They explain my age, my affinity, and my ambitions... They also hold memories and experiences of my past lives. Think of it as passing down life experiences through reincarnation.”

Max tilted his head back, realizing the implications, “And you remember the rift between the Gods?”

“Very much so, yes.” Aquis turned somber, “You see, when we Mur were said to be lost, we actually were. At least for a few years. Eventually, our Racial Traits activated, and we were reborn from our chrysalis.”

“But what about the school we just passed? Wouldn’t kids who retained their memories of their past lives not need to go to school?”

“You would be correct, but you make the assumption we regain our previous experiences right away. It takes many years, enough for our bodies to mature and grow – for our wings to sprout. In that time, we are a frail and weak race, but after…”

Aquis and Max locked eyes. It was a subtle threat, but one that was needed for the Mur. The lost race had been destroyed once before; they simply didn’t want to be hurt again.

“I understand.” Max said - Emi nodded along, “But I don’t understand why you are here, why I am here, and what Tiodepth has to do with any of this.”

Aquis took in a large gulp of air before slowly exhaling, “I would suggest you use our Lord’s name in measured breath. We may seem friendly to all we meet, but our Lord is hallowed to us. If you must speak of him, please refer to our Lord as Lord Tiodepth.”

“Fair enough, but please, we need to know why you are here and what it means for us.”

“For why we are here is simple enough. We were given this haven as a place of refuge. I already explained that we were weak in our fresh-forms, our Lord simply gave us a place to thrive. For why you two are here… I cannot say. I do not wish to think I understand the Lord’s will. But there is hope. Your meeting with our Lord will answer many questions.”

As the trio continued through the damp streets, Aquis continued to explain the odds and ins of Mur life. Abyss city was a direct port for the Water Dimension. Tribes in the realm would create, engineer, hunt, and gather for trade.

The traded materials were given to the Mur as a middle man, where the Mur would then exchange goods around with the correct parties. The Water Dimension was incredibly large – or so Max was told - and the tunnels leading to Abyss city were essentially direct highways from many areas. Highways the Mur had a monopoly on.

That didn’t mean the city wasn’t under threat, however. Monsters were commonplace, but the warriors of the Mur were more than enough to protect the city. And if they weren’t… they had a Leviathan as an overseer. The deterrence was enough to allow the city to prosper.

Aquis stopped before a strange stone building. The stairs leading to the wide doors moved and glistened with the soft crash of waves that could always be heard through the city. Magestone, Max recognized, one of the most sought-after materials Nava had to offer.

“Here we are, the Temple of our Lord Tiodepth. The main cathedral should be empty this time of day, so your meeting shall be uninterrupted.”

Emi licked the bottom stair, noting that the Magestone tasted like any other stone – maybe a bit more citrusy. Max spoke, “Thank you Aquis. I take it we will meet again?”

“More than likely.” The Mur’s wings shimmered, “Before you go, you must promise me something.”

Max nodded slowly, signaling for the man to continue, “We Mur are hidden. I do not know why our Lord has trusted you with our existence, or location, and entry into our most sacred of soil, but I trust that he has a plan.”

“I understand. Only Emi and I will know of your secret, I promise.”

Aquis let out a sigh of relief, “Then I thank you, Max, Emi. I wish you luck with your meeting.”

With that, the Mur leader bowed and gestured for the outsider duo to enter the Temple. The Temple itself was one of the largest buildings in the area but was not sectioned off like the Church of Lesterwood. Shops and homes connected to the Temple’s walls like they were later add-ons after changing material suppliers.

Pushing open the thick, water-stained, wooden doors led into a branching common room of statues and shrines. Max recognized a few of the Gods, but he curiously noted the Big Three, Ofes, Ssawp, and Peneil were missing.

After stumbling around the hallways, Max and Emi eventually found the cathedral – or at least what they assumed was the cathedral. A grandiose stage long-set with pews and flame-lit candles rather than the typical mana lights. The room stretched for quite some time, almost as if it were to house the entire population of Abyss city for single readings.

Max and Emi found a seat near the front after hesitantly walking through the aisle past the wooden seats. They spoke about the awkward manner of meeting Tiodepth in such unfamiliar territories through their bond. The uncomfortable silence of the cathedral acted like a strict parent ready to yell a hushed chiding at the pair.

As the minutes passed, Emi began to think about many things - particularly fish. She was very much excited for Max to take her and – Max’s now girlfriend – Celenia around the world. Well, she wasn’t so much excited about traveling and seeing the sights, but rather the tropical and unique fish she would be able to… procure.

This got a laugh out of Max. He was also excited, but mainly for the relaxation of vacation – not so much the fish.

“Something humorous, Max?”

Max and Emi followed the chilling deep voice to the left. At the end of the pew, a man sat. The man was unremarkable, old, balding, wrinkled, he even wore torn clothing. But he had a sort of comfort that radiated from his old bones. He marked a harmonious and tranquil aspect in the air, like watching plunging waves crash and erode the sand of a beach.

The man was distinctly Human, the missing wings and grey skin of the Mur confirmed as much. Max guessed the man could have been Elven, but the lack of pointy ears and the trademark height explained otherwise.

No, the man was familiar. Very familiar.

“Tiodepth.” Max spoke, his voice vibrating with hesitant virtues.

Tiodepth was something of a fable to Max. The Leviathan was in so many ways a protector and benefactor of the young Lost Lord. From the powerful Blessings to stopping an intrusive Divine Scan to reminding Max of the will to live, the mystical being had always stepped in when things mattered.

But at the same time, Tiodepth had left Max out to dry multiple times. Instead of explaining or preemptively acting, the Leviathan had chosen to remain silent more than once. Max had even gone so far as to beg and plead for information, but never once had he received anything worthwhile.

The man raised an eyebrow, “Are you not surprised at my appearance?”

Max recoiled at the question. For the past week, he had been anticipating this meeting. He had prepared quick wits and proper answers for many opening statements the man behind the curtain could have started with.

This… this was not one of them.

Max thought and came up with a simple answer, “No. No, I am not.”

“And why is that?”

This was a question Max was prepared for. Or at least, a variation of it, “Because I have met multiple Gods at this point, and neither of which were how I expected them to be. Ofes was a giant of light, her statues in the Church were of a powerful-looking woman. Subuntu looks like a drunk monk while his statues depict him as a saint.”

Max stroked his thumb down Emi’s scaled spine, “You… you being a Human doesn’t surprise me. The monster I saw – the one that took up the horizon and blotted out the sun on the infinite beach – was nothing more than a portrayal. A character. A role. An impression.”

Now, it was Tiodepth’s turn to recoil. For a brief moment Max thought he had messed up. He thought – just for a breath – that he was going to be ripped apart. That he was going to be killed where he sat. The air in the cathedral hung as the Leviathan mused over the answer.

Eventually, Tiodepth smiled, “It’s good to see that you are learning. You are not hopeless yet.”

Max and Emi rolled their eyes at the casual insult.

“Right… Why are we here?”

Tiodepth ignored the question and looked at Emi. He squinted and an unreadable expression formed across his weathered face. The Leviathan and little monster stared at each other for a long moment, a little too long.

“Hello,” Max interrupted, “Did you fall asle-“

“I’m glad you made it out of that accursed box.” Tiodepth finally said, “I just want you to know, it was never my intention to have you placed in there.”

This time Emi recoiled.

She shared a look with Max before they both spoke, “… What?”

Tiodepth swallowed a large gulp before looking off to the side and sighing, “Please don’t tell me you haven’t figured it out yet?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, mentally cursing himself, “Never mind, forget I said anything.”

“No, no, no!” Max yelled, “You don’t get to do that! Not after everything!”

Emi nodded along, “You said you would explain things!”

The old man looked to the ceiling for help, “I did. But there are some things I can’t explain. Some things are bound by the System in such a way that not even I – or the Gods for that matter – can affect. But, between the two of you, the clue I just spouted should be easy to decipher.”

Emi sent questions and theories to Max via their bond connection. Some mundane, others jaded, and a few crazy. But they were all lacking. Truth be told, Emi didn’t directly care about her lineage.

Well, that wasn’t quite true. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t care, but rather she simply didn’t think about it all that often.

Most of the time the topic was brought up, someone else was the culprit. Emi didn’t dislike the idea of finding out, but she also wasn’t going to actively look. She had better things to do, such as hunt for fish, practice magic, and to make sure her partner didn’t stumble too much around his prospecting relationship.

Max, on the other hand, did care. And he had thought through this multiple times. He had come up with multiple ideas, all of which were thrown out at this moment. Except for one.

“You are Emi’s father.”

The little monster craned her blue scaled neck slowly, each passing breath going over the statement again and again. She looked at Max, her emerald namesake eyes enlarged and perfectly round.

“What…” She meeked out, barely more than a whisper.

Tiodepth slightly smiled, before returning to his bored airless expression, “Good. Now that the System bind has been taken away, we can discuss things more openly.”

“Wait what? I was right?” Max asked, his eyes glued to the old man.

“Yes… I thought that much was covered. Did I misspeak?”

Emi craned her neck to her father, “I was born from an egg.”

Tiodepth took in a long breath, “Indeed. My race is not actually Human, despite my appearance. The System classifies me as a Leviathan, even though I retain my mortal form – at least, somewhat.”

Max shook his head, “So Emi is a Leviathan?”

“A Leviathan…” She echoed.

“Yes and no. You were never supposed to… happen.” Tiodepth pinched his brows, “You see, when mortals have… kids, they procreate-“

Max couldn’t help it - he started laughing, followed by a nervous purr from Emi, and a distant smile from the Lord of Abyss city.

“Please don’t explain the birds and the bees to us. That is unneeded.”

“Birds and the bees? I think something is lost in translation. Regardless, Emi shouldn’t have been… birthed. The System was supposed to have disallowed such things between two beings as powerful as Leviathans.”

“Are Leviathans that much more powerful than Gods, in that case? Demigods are the children of Gods, are they not?”

Tiodepth shifted uncomfortably, “I will not say much on the matter, but no, not necessarily. At least, not usually. Leviathans and Gods are held to the same standards, but a few… loopholes exist for Gods.”

“That’s fine, we are discussing Emi, not the Divine.” Max looked to his bond and asked the question weighing on both of their minds, “Who is her mother?”

“That is a complicated and difficult question.”

Max and Emi gave him an are you serious look.

The old man shifted again, this time to sit more comfortably, “First I must explain how you were able to come to creation.” He said to Emi, “For that, you must know some of my past…”