"In what sense?" asked Erik very confused and slightly intrigued.

"I don't know.” he paused and offered Erik the cup of wine. What do you like as a reward? Money, gold, women...or something more precious? Would you like to have that sigil of heresy removed from you? Would you want freely roam those lands?"

"None of those things interest me really. I had money once and they brought only anxiety. Fame brought me only trouble and of becoming a farmer or landlord that is beyond laughable. Sorry mistress, none of those things interests me "

"Oh, I understand you want that voice in your head to be gone?” he grabbed a small bundle of papers and placed them on the table “they are the introduction to a very ‘strange’ book. You might want to read them.”

Erik leaned toward the paper and grabbed them. After a few minutes, he nodded to the captain.

“Now that I have your attention let me explain." He pointed to the map on the table" we need to make a little detour, see those lands in the north? We need to go there and sell some things. You will be our personal guide. After that, I will give you the book, Understood?"

Erik nodded.

“Ah, just another thing, could you please put up a pretence with the girl? I can't stand her, he goes around protestilizing people, faking herself a saint or worse, and cries, GOD damn if that girl cries.”

Looking at her Erik had the sensation that the captain was foreign, though he wasn’t certain. Maybe he was just of that race of people he once got ear of, the Worldly. What a strange cast of people, believing only what their hands could touch and eye see.

​

And so the air became colder and colder, the priest and guards seemed to accept the detour without as much as a blink. Erik had learned not to ask himself too many questions. He knew one of those who asked too many questions, Richard was his name, he was always the first in line for justice. Now he is dead. Found in a river naked with several knife cuts...

The last rays of the sun began to fade onto the horizon and it was again time to work.

​

He saw many islands near them::

The island full of lycanthropes that would eat you if you only step there

The island full of dead people that would eat you if you only step there

The island full of demons that would eat you if you only step there

The island full of persons that would eat you if you only step there

Now that he thought about it he started seeing a common pattern between all those islands. And with the moon high on the horizon, it meant for him that it was time for bed. He hoped that when his eyes opened up again he didn’t feel too cold.

​

His days became of such strange highs and lows that he started to envy the life he lived in the cold wilderness. Sometimes he was considered a regular member of the ship, at other times he was worse than a demon. Many times he had to force himself and be like a normal member of the crew, taking extra work and cleaning the rest, at other times he completely ignored everything and let slothfullness conquered him.

On one such day, while Erik was going to bed. the captain called him in her cabin with a tone that promised nothing good or logic for that matter. The tone of a drunk woman.

"Erikkkk" said the captain with a weird cadence "you know that you are such a good looking boy, why don't you come here?"

In the captain cabin, there were several bottles of wine and alcohol opened. They were all empty.

"Why don't men like me? Erik? Do you know it?" Erik looked at her. Maybe it was her appearance, maybe she was too masculine, maybe too aggressive, or more importantly, maybe no righteous and faithful man would have dared to approach such a scoundrel of woman.

"My father was such a bitch” continued the captain “you knwo? He used to beat me and my mother all day long. And that was hell. So when I came back home and started journeying, I decided that no one would treat me the same way. Unfortunately for me, WOman are supposed to be antother way. Or better said, they are suppose to conform. We are all supposed to comform."

"Captain,” Erik said with all the courage in his guts” there is something wrong? Can I help you?" as he said this his hand went to her shoulder, a technique that a demon merchant had taught him a few years ago.

"Oh no. No: I am just drunk a bit, would you like a cup fow in too? IItsi good i bpromise"

Erik understand from her movements that she had just offered him a cup of wine, accepted and drank it "This wine is good. This wine is...too good"

"Thanks, it costs me you don't know how much"

"It was worth it "

Then the wine started going to his head and his tongue became lost.

"And this-- hip cup orth -- was how I became captain of a ship. A good story isn't it?"

"So you-... are really a werid perosn you know. Yo ul ose a crew of persons and you barely blink an eye. "

"I used to blink an eye, but since I lost so many people, I learned not to attach myself to people. Or make friends... No one loves me now. "

"Sad story." Come here, let me get you and hug you."

Then he hugged the captain and his eyes closed