That Undying Elder with the multicolored wings and jester look had told the truth.

No matter how many times it was ripped, cut, crumbled or even burned, the playing card depicting the phantom king always found a way to reappear in front of Lawkey one way or another.

With it, it always brought a sense of uneasiness, the bitter taste of his defeat back then, the reminder of his vow and promises…

And now, once again, there it was, laying in front of him without a shred of a wrinkle on it. Even though it had been likely carried to the shore by the last sea tide, it was already completely dry.

"..."

Looking down at it with furrowed brows, Lawkey took another sip of his sake and relaxed his facial muscles.

In his current state, he couldn't be bothered to deal with this returning nuisance too, it simply served to worsen his mood. Not feeling like entertaining it with another outburst, he simply covered it with sand, burying it in hopes it would never again be uncovered.

"Why is it that I lose everything I cherish, while the things I despise keep clinging to me…?"

The black-haired human mumbled to himself. Deep down, he had the answer. After all, it was the answer that followed him wherever he went, that everyone seemed always eager to repeat.

The Hykings' curse.

He was on the verge of rolling his eyes every time it was mentioned. Such an unseen, uncontrollable concept, how could he begin to blame it all on such a thing?

My curse, my destiny, my fate… He began to think. Everyone keeps throwing those words at me… I'm just a human who wants to-

"Friend."

"?"

Cut off from his thoughts, Lawkey turned slowly to face the owner of the gruff voice. He reflexively reached for his head, closing one eye in the process.

"How long are you going to be sitting here drinking like that?" Alviss asked bluntly.

"Not so loud, shorty." The human rubbed his forehead as he raised his sake gourd up. "Want some?"

"..."

The dwarf put down the fruit basket containing a Hyking, then gestured to the human to get up.

"What now?" Lawkey asked with a raised brow.

"Get up and see, friend. This island is changin' thanks to ya!" Aviss looked in the direction of the central square, listening to the laughter and songs in the distance. "Ya should see the look on their faces."

"...It wasn't thanks to me." The human dug his gourd into the sand, gritting his teeth all the while. "They're both gone, might as well be considered dead…"

Alviss looked back in silence for a moment, then lowered his body to sit not far from the drunk human.

"They cared deeply fer their people…" The dwarf began, looking towards the sea. "Fought bravely, sacrificed too much… However, both of them got all that they wanted in the end, friend."

Lawkey narrowed his eyes, keeping them fixated on the sand below.

"Well, perhaps except for one thin'."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"The clan is now safe, that's great. I'm glad for them." The human spoke softly, then sighed. "But that came with a heavy price, shorty. The ones lost should have been here to celebrate too… They deserved to be happy too."

"Tis a cruel world we live in, ma friend. Grievin' is the right of the survivors, and so is carrying on the will of the lost." Alviss reached up and traced the design on his round golden necklace.

"I know that, but it's never easy." Lawkey pushed his lips together in a slight wince. "Every time a loved one is lost, a part of you dies with them. You feel less and less each time… That's what I'm afraid of, shorty. I'm afraid of becoming so numb that I lose myself too…"

Whether it was the man's current mental state talking or the amount of sake he had consumed, he was pouring his heart out to the dwarf. Noticing his behavior, he hung his head with another sigh.

A few minutes of silence went by, neither of them feeling a need to say anything more. They simply watched the sea tides come and go.

Then…

"!"

A small boat sailed in from the side of the shore. On it were Salil, the leader of the tritons, and another three of his followers.

"It's ready for you." Called out Salil as he jumped out of the boat, leaving the others behind him to dock it. "We've stocked it up with SeaSmack and other provisions for your trip."

"Very kind of ya." Alviss got up and shook the mermen's hand. "Glad I got to meet the real ya. Now I can rest assured me weapons will be used fer good."

"Of that, I can promise you!"

Salil's proclamation made Lawkey's ear twitch as he listened from the side, still sitting.

"You know where you're going?" The old mermen, Cyan, strolled in from the central square.

Behind him, a group of both sirens and mermen followed slowly, headed by Lamia herself.

"I made the trip a few times already." Alviss nodded. "Tis only a couple of hours away with good wind."

"..."

It didn't take long for Lawkey to understand what was going on.

"Well, friend?" The dwarf walked up to him again. "Shall we get going?"

Lawkey reached up and pinched the inner sides of his eyes together.

"I don't know…" He muttered. "It's all moving too fast…"

In a span of a quarter of a day or so, a myriad of different events came to pass. The most notable was the fact he had met and cared deeply for two individuals, whether it was due to the Hyking's involvement or not, no longer mattered.

Then, despite fighting as hard as he could to help them, both of them were nowhere to be seen.

Now, before having the time to properly digest his loss, he was being asked to leave the island entirely. Even though he no longer had anything here, no reason to stay, there was one more thing eating at him.

"Come with me, friend. Maybe gettin' those pancakes would raise yerr spirit up." Alviss forced a faint smile. "I did promise ya, after all."

"..."

The moment he heard it, Lawkey remembered what he had been missing. A responsibility he could not ignore before leaving Sweet Scylla.

The dwarf reached down and retrieved the fruit basket Frido was still using as his sleeping quarters. Just as he looked towards his drunk friend again, he saw him up on his feet.

"I need a minute."

"?"

That's all Lawkey said before dropping his sake gourd and rushing into the sea and jumping into it.

Everyone else on the shore stood in confusion, but they all waited patiently for him to come back.

**👑**

Lawkey reached into his clothes and pulled out the scallop Riana had given him before. He positioned it in front of his throat, allowing the rubber to surround his neck and create a breathable bubble around his head.

He was underwater, using his new swimming skills to stay afloat. Part of him did believe that he neither needed the scallop, nor to swim, but he wanted to make a point here.

Despite that, he could feel the waters rejuvenate his body once more, even dispelling the dizziness effect in his mind.

"You asked me at the end…" He began, looking in front of him despite only seeing an endless stream of water. "You asked me to promise you, and I didn't."

At the time, his mind was preoccupied trying to process what was going to happen to the new deity, and if he could do anything to save her from that fate.

Now…

"You asked me to promise you, but ended up getting so greedy to list half a dozen things…" He winced slightly, then slowly, the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. "You finally learned to make up your mind in the end."

Slowly, faint currents of water began to form around the human.

"You said you'd be watching, so make sure to keep those eyes peeled, Nimue!" He proclaimed, tightening the muscles in his face. "Everything you asked of me and more, wherever Sana is, I'll find her too!"

The currents of water began to envelop his limbs and body, as if embracing him.

"All of that, I promise to do it all!"

He reached his hand forward, not expecting anything. However, although very briefly, he could see a faint imprint of a hand connect with his.

"I promise you, Riana."

With those last words out, he got swept by the currents as he surrendered his body to them.

It was but a moment later that he found himself back on the shore, having been carried by the new sea tides pushing him along.

"Ready, friend?" Alviss asked again without inquiring more.

"Yes…" Lawkey said with a ridiculous smile plastered on his face. "Let's go."

Everything had moved too fast for his liking, but such was life. He could not keep sitting feeling sorry for himself when many had entrusted him with promises.

Even if the burden of promises was too great, it was his responsibility to keep them now.

I might not be the man who can make them all happen now… He thought as he got up on his feet. But every day is a chance to get closer to that version of me… The version they see in me.

"Anything else ya need before we head out?" The dwarf gestured towards the boat.

"No… Just make sure to keep your promise about those pancakes."

"I'll do ma best, friend." Alviss chuckled.

"A promise is a promise, shorty, no backing out!"

With the eager pursuit of pancakes on his supposed birthday, and the willingness to become the man everyone saw in him, Lawkey prepared to leave Sweet Scylla behind and continue his main journey.

His hunt for the Leviathan, to keep his earliest promise.

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