After watching Fen play for a bit longer, Doris reluctantly left the three of them alone, though Xain suspected she could have spent days watching the wolf bound around his not so little playground. It was a sentiment Xain shared, and after the morning adventures, he was all too happy to take a bit of time to relax away from the other Seeds.

  Doris had said lunch would be served to them there, so there was no reason to leave the room until dinner with the captain. While Xain could stand to do some more exploring, along with practicing his rune, he knew there would be plenty of time for both once he arrived on Niflheim.

  Besides, the only other floor they had to look at was mainly for signing contracts, and even the mere thought of doing such a thing made his skin crawl.

  Fake or not, his papers had marked him as in the house of Yid, and now deemed him as walking the Path of Discovery. While such a thing came with its own restrictions, it also meant he had never needed to think about taking root with a different House. However he was beginning to learn that, even if that had been an option, the thought of being owned was not something he could abide.

  The Path held its dangers, sure, but no matter the life taking root afforded, to sign away his freedom merely because he had an array just felt… wrong.

  After Doris departed, Xain suggested they take advantage of the pool, to which Vector had quickly agreed stating “It would be wise to experience the unique properties provided by Sap.”

  Xain didn't care about that, he just thought a soak sounded like a good idea.

  His knowledge of Sap was rudimentary at best. Bow’s tutelage had been thorough and spanned a wide variety of subjects, but when it came to Sap and a handful of other focuses, his answers were opaque at best.

  He knew it was an important part of the Blaze, the final stage in the acquisition of a rune, and that each realm’s Sap had unique properties. He also knew that consuming the Sap, no matter the realm it was from, extended a person's natural life span. But how it worked, or anything outside of the general knowledge easily found in Bow’s library remained a mystery.

  However, he didn’t need to understand such things to enjoy a good hot spring, which was why Xain now found himself stripped naked, sitting on a rock shaped like a chair, with Vector occupying a similar rock just a few feet to his right, as Fen continued to expend his boundless energy in the little park.

  He had not wanted to remove his shirt for the bout with Brim, afraid of others glimpsing his single rune array, but this was something Vector already knew. So long as it didn't suddenly transform into Dagaz, he didn't think there was anything to worry about.

  Before Vector stripped his own shirt off though, Xain saw him tap the two runes he left exposed, and watched as they vanished under a layer of illusory skin. Xain didn't need to check to know the others had been similarly hidden, though as Vector slid into the pool, he couldn’t help but eye his back, just to be safe.

  Feeling oddly exposed, he had quickly made a note to ask Vector how to do that, but guessed it would likely require him to grow his array, so at the moment it was of little use.

  It wasn't until they were both in the pool that he remembered the necklace around his neck, but for some reason he couldn't put his finger on, the thought of taking off the silver chain and medallion made his stomach knot up.

  Before he could worry about it too much though, he had felt the necklace cool, and when he looked down, noticed the willow tree on the medallion had reshaped itself so it now displayed the profile of Fen’s head.

  Bow had said the gift held secrets, but Xain decided he could think about that later, as it would only draw more attention to do so in front of Vector.

  “So,” Xain said, breaking the silence, and reaching for the mug of ale to his left. Like everywhere else on the ship, the room had come equipped with a small bar that was nestled into an alcove just to the left of the falls.

  “Niflheim. Why start there?”

  Vector had his lain head back as it rested against the stone lip of the pool, and only turned it slightly as he opened one eye, examining Xain with a raised eyebrow as he said, “Do you not know it is impolite to ask such things?”

  “Honestly?” Xain said, flushing slightly, “No. No I did not.”

  “I suspected as much,” Vector said, closing his eyes again and smiling. “When you told me your core rune without hesitating, I got the sense you lack the years of experience where every bit of information you let slip is used against you.”

  “You told me, too,” Xain said, slightly defensive.

  “I told you the length. A rune holders array is not something openly discussed. If one knows your array, they may be able to counter it. Even if they do not know the full abilities it holds, knowing the runes within the array is enough to determine, at least to some degree, the powers one has access to.”

  “Okay,” Xain said, trying to keep the petulance he suddenly felt from his voice. “So, what is your array?”

  “What did I just say?” Vector sighed, but without any real irritation.

  “You know,” Xain said. “If we're going to be friends, I think we need to work on this whole trust thing. I mean, it's obvious this is new for both of us, but seeing as my experience extends to a wolf who, even if he wanted to betray me, I doubt anyone would understand if he decided to growl my secrets. So-”

  “Secrets?” Vector said, cutting Xain off as he sat up and turned to face him.

  Well fuck.

  “Secrets.” Xain said, leaning into it.

  “And what, may I ask, do you have to hide?”

  “I…” Xain started, but stopped as the mountain of them seemed to crush the air from his lungs.

  “Fine. I’ll take the first step,” He said, determining it was only a matter of time before at least a few would come to light.

  The truth of his rune, as well as anything about Bow, or why the Norns had chosen him was off limits. But as being chosen by the Norns was not uncommon, he didn't think there was any risk of him asking about Odin, Loki, or their supposedly hidden realm.

  His rune however, was another thing entirely. He had no idea how he was going to hide that from Vector, especially after he truly added Uruz to his array, but those worries could wait.

  “I chose Niflheim, because I am seeking Nidhogg.”

  From the expression Vector made, Xain suddenly doubted anything but the truth of his rune could have surprised the man more; his carefully crafted facade falling away as his mouth hung open and wide eyes stared at Xain in complete disbelief.

  He knew Nidhogg had not been seen in centuries, though it was not uncommon for the Primordial Dragon to go millennia without showing her face. Still, had Bow not told him to seek her, Xain would have thought such a task impossible.

  “W…why?” Vector asked after several moments.

  Interesting.

  Both Vector’s reaction and question made Xain once again think his friend held knowledge far beyond that of a normal Seed.

  “I was told she would provide me with shelter. For a time at least. And there are a few questions I would like her to answer.”

  …

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  Questions you want her to answer?

  Vector didn't know if Xain was insane, ignorant, or some dangerous combination of both, but from the way he spoke, it was as if he actually expected the most powerful runic beast in the Tree to not just grant him an audience, but treat him as one of her brood.

  It had taken Vector years of searching to find enough information on Nidhogg to determine the risk of searching her out may not be completely in vain. His array played the largest role in his plans, as without it, unless he was an ancient, the chances the dragon would allow him entry were less than none.

  Unless Xain knew something Vector didn't, which seemed incredibly unlikely, there was no chance in all the Realms that Nidhogg would grant such a request. In fact, the most probable outcome was one of her brood, or one of the Dragonkin on Niflheim would hear about the crazy Seed, and kill him before he had a chance to start his search.

  “Wait,” Vector blurted, latching onto something Xain had said. “Someone told you to seek her? Who?”

  Who in Hel’s realm is this guy?

  “Ah,” Xain said, face turning secretive. “I think it will take more than a fight and a soak before I trust you enough to answer that.”

  “But,” he continued, taking a long sip from his ale, his eyes never leaving Vector's face, before saying “I think answering a question or two of mine could go a long way in building some of that trust.”

  “Indeed,” Vector agreed after a moment. He had planned this all out so carefully, and none of his plans had involved a friend. He could adjust, or abandon Xain the moment he stepped off the boat, and continue on alone as he had intended to do. But for some unknown reason, the longer they spent together, the more he felt as if the Tree herself wanted Vector to stick with this seemingly inconsequential man.

  His life had honed his instincts to see anyone else as a threat, yet it seemed Xain’s personal mission was to constantly upend Vector’s world view.

  “Alright,” Vector started, ignoring the part of him that screamed Xain was only going to use the information against him, and continued, “I too plan to visit the Great Dragon. I told you before, unlike most Husks, I was not restricted in the creation of my array. If I am to have any success in realizing its full potential, I require her blessing.”

  “As you may or may not know, with the nature of runes and arrays being what it is, the number of possible permutations is nearly endless, particularly for those who seek the status of High Elder. However, there are many risks in the pursuit of untested arrays. It is one of the main reasons House contracts contain clauses which predetermine one's array.”

  “While I do not wish to limit myself in such a way, until I am able to better understand the runes, I have decided to follow a framework for an array which, should I succeed, will afford me certain advantages later on. The framework is for 21 runes, meaning any significant alteration would only come upon reaching the rank of Ancient.”

  “However, the array I have chosen holds certain problems of its own. It is said to have originated with Nidhogg herself, and the ability successfully hold the array past 14 runes requires both her blessing, as well as the stacking of seven runes.”

  …

  So we both plan to visit Nidhogg.

  Xain had no idea how far the Norns' power stretched, but this smelled of their influence.

  It made sense to him that they could not directly determine the outcome of events, however that didn't mean they couldn't set up situations in which their desired end had the largest chance of success.

  In truth, Xain had no fucking idea how he was supposed to find the Eldest Dragon. His plan, aside from surviving the initial journey, had extended to figuring it out when he got to Niflheim. If that meant he wandered around until stumbling across her, or one of her brood, well that's what he was going to do.

  But Vector had grown up with access to knowledge Xain had never even thought of searching for. He had been planning this for years, and at least for now, their paths seemed to align a bit too perfectly.

  He could tell Vector shared similar thoughts, and suspected if he were to learn the extent of the Norns' interference so far, the revelation would serve to either send the man running, or to cement them together.

  Though if it was the latter, Xain had no idea how such a partnership would actually work. After Niflheim, Xain’s own journey would diverge from that of a normal Seed who walked the Path of Discovery. There was no reason for Vector to hide from the Valkyries, or forgo the aid provided by Yid. Staying with him would create only problems for his friend, while providing nothing in return.

  That could come later though. For now, Xain was all too happy at the prospect of their time together extending past the ferry.

  “So,” Xain said carefully, “Sounds like we are going to the same place. Any… any idea where that place actually is?”

  “I…” Vector started, his face dropping a bit at the question. “No.”

  “Though, I believe I may know where to start.”

  “Well that’s more than me!” Xain beamed.

  “What do you think about continuing our budding little pack?” Xain asked, looking over at Fen who had stopped his near manic spree through the park to listen to their conversation.

  Vector opened and closed his mouth several times as he focused on Xain with an intensity that almost made him pull back, before he finally nodded once, and said “I would be amenable to that.”

  “Though,” he added, “I am unable to promise how long such an arrangement may last, as finding Nidhogg is only one part of what I must do. Should we survive the encounter-”

  “How about we cross that bridge when it comes?” Xain cut in, relieved he may not have to be the one to break up their group.

  “Agreed,” Vector said, the tension in his posture melting away.

  “Well then, it looks like we are going to be together for a while,” Xain said, not hiding his smile.

  “Indeed,” Vector agreed. “As that is the case, I believe it may be pertinent to become familiar with one another's abilities. While I appreciate yesterday's aid, should we wish to have the best chance of success, a higher level of understanding would likely prove beneficial in overcoming any future challenges.”

  “I agree,” Xain said, nodding.

  What made him and Fen such a good team was their intimate knowledge of one another. The same had been true with Bow, to the point it often felt as if the three of them shared a single mind. While trust was important, it was equally significant to understand the strengths and vulnerabilities within a group.

  “Suggestions?” Xain asked.

  “Actually,” Vector said. “Yes.”

  …

  They had enjoyed another few hours in the forest room, which included a nice lunch, and playing with Fen until he was finally so tired he went and flopped in the pond, and refused to move. After that, Xain and Vector had taken the chance to look through the room more carefully, as Vector wanted to gain a basic understanding of how the lifelike illusions were created.

  When the two hour search turned up nothing, they finally retired to their rooms and rested before their dinner with Tryst.

  Xain used the time to crack open several of the books he was now sure the captain had left in the welcome basket, as every one of them had notes in the margins, and their worn pages spoke of heavy use.

  While he was glad to have them, deciphering everything was going to take time, especially since many of the notes required a basic understanding of the places and situations referenced, which was something he currently lacked.

  Still, it seemed like there was a lot of information that he was going to be able to make use of in the future, particularly because, from what he could discern, several of the notes related directly to interrealm travel outside the normal paths.

  He had wondered how much Tryst knew about his situation, as well as how he could have gained such information, but decided there was no point speculating. From what he had seen, the captain possessed an array on par with a High Elder, a conclusion that Vector also shared, and understanding the resources such a person held was currently beyond his capacity.

  Luckily, Vector had suggested he and Xain do some runic practice the next day so they could better understand how to work together. Xain knew this meant more that Vector would be establishing exactly how weak he was, but it was a start.

  Vector, while not describing his array in its entirety, had told Xain that Uruz was one of the runes he held, and would be happy to help him gain a better understanding of its powers.

  The whole day had Xain thinking things were beginning to look up. That maybe his chance of surviving for more than a night in the Nine Realms was not just a fantasy.

  So he was in quite a good mood when Tryst welcomed them into his cabin with a broad smile, before dismissing the crew who had escorted Xain, Fen, and Vector, apologizing for the state of his cabin, pouring them each a generous portion of Dwarven whiskey, and urging them to take a seat.

  “Thank you all for joining me,” Tryst said when they had all found a spot, with Xain and Vector both moving their chairs closer to Tryst’s so Fen could comfortably shove his way into the small circle.

  The cabin was not even the size of Xain’s bedroom on the ship, and was packed wall to wall with books, charts, and various stacks of paper strewn across the floor and single desk which occupied the opposite side of the room.

  Xain was quick to note how, while there were only three small circular windows set into the wall above the desk, the starry darkness he had left in his own cabin had been replaced with an absolute black, with only the occasional ribbon of light flickering past the window.

  More than likely, this was the true scene, and not the illusion cast across the rest of the ship, but Xain thought it was just as possible Tryst had altered the scene in his room for their dinner.

  “Of course. Thanks for inviting us,” Xain said, trying not to be obvious as he looked around.

  “Is this something you do often?” Vector asked, clearly trying to resist the same urge as Xain.

  “Not at all,” Tryst said, taking a sip from his glass as he looked between them.

  “But, as the three of you are about to search out the most ancient being in the Tree, I thought an exception should be made.”