The ship moved quickly due to the strong wind. Its constant shaking tripped up some members of the crew. Atzi watched them occasionally stop and hold onto something for balance.

  Atzi had no problems at all. She just shifted the weight of her tail as naturally as she'd done all her life, acting as a counterbalance to keep her upright. This is why it's dumb humans don't have tails. This should have been a boat full of lizards. Lizard women. Who feed me. She had already forgotten the ring on her clawed finger as the only reason she wasn't freezing.

  She watched as Samantha rushed around the ship, shouting orders at the crew, the first mate's coat billowing around her with the wind.

  Well, maybe humans aren't all bad for it.

  The crew obeyed her, adjusting sails with the tying and untying of ropes. Even listening in, Atzi didn't understand half the words they said. It was some sort of jargon.

  The half-giant mage wearing a cow's mask, Gregori, sat still near the back of the boat, propped up against a wall. He was engaging in a chant as he pointed his similarly skulled staff at the sails. Where he pointed, the winds seem to strike even harder.

  Weird magic. Hopefully he doesn't do something stupid and get us all killed! Mages loved doing that sort of thing. She passed near him as she opened the door to the decks below. It was a regular sized door, but embedded into a larger one.

  The steps down were normal, but on either side of them were broad, thick pillars of wood of decreasing height. Atzi felt like she was learning a lot about how the half-giants lived with everyone else. She imagined living in a mansion with Lattice's sister.

  Lattice herself was sat on a log, using two fingers to hold a regular-sized bowl filled with steaming beans. She didn't use a spoon, just tipped the bowl back and tapped it until the food fell in her mouth. Even eating, she hadn't changed out of her armor. Atzi wondered if she was another weirdo who wore it all the time.

  She didn't ask, though. She didn't want to get squashed by the vanguard's hammer.

  "Staring at me, noble?" Lattice asked.

  "A-ah? No. Nope!" Atzi scurried off.

  She made her way near the front of the lower deck, which she'd been told was where she could find her room. She found a room with a sign hanging from it, 'Special Guest', and slipped inside and locked the door with its deadbolt, before flopping down on the lower half of the bunkbed.

  It was spacious, at least compared to the other rooms she'd glanced into on her way through the ship. An unlit lantern was bolted to the wall across from a reinforced window. Both sat on either side of a desk, similarly bolted to the floor. Even the drawers were secured with tiny metal flaps that could be flicked up if she needed to open them.

  "At least the trip shouldn't take too long," Atzi said to herself. With that she settled in, drifting off to nap.

  -

  She awoke to a knocking at her cabin door. "Captain needs to see you," came Samantha's voice.

  Atzi sat up- knocking her head on the upper bunk. "Fuck!"

  Samantha erupted into a fit of coughing. Then she cleared her throat "You okay in there?"

  Atzi rubbed her head. "I'm fine! I'll be there in a minute!"

  "I'll tell the captain."

  After taking a moment for the stinging to stop, Atzi got up without further injury. She patted her 'fancy' clothes and left for the upper deck.

  The first thing Atzi noticed was that the ship was stopped. The second was the sheer amount of ice in the sea around them. It was a new sight to her, the miniature mountains and countless shimmer sheets built from it.

  Captain Brock stood at the wheel, bundled tight in his coat. "There you are," he called to her. "Need you to navigate."

  "Me? I don't know how to do that," Atzi said.

  "You're the client. Know roughly where you want us to take you, but up to you to tell us where you want to dive. This is probably too far out, but would be the easiest on the ship. If you want us to move in further, you gotta pick. There are two openings in the ice sheets. North and south west."

  "I don't know!"

  Brock grunted. "Alright. Then no problem if I make the call." He turned towards the crew on the deck. "Prep the sails northward!"

  "You heard the captain! Get to work!" Samantha echoed.

  The ship proceeded through the icy waters at a much slower rate.

  "That all?" Atzi asked.

  "Aye. Dinner'll be soon. You can dine with the crew if you've the taste for it. Otherwise, tell Sam to bring you your meal."

  "...Yeah, thanks."

  Atzi didn't have an issue eating with everyone else, but an opportunity to be alone with the first mate? She wasn't going to pass that up. She approached.

  "Yeah?" Samantha asked as she helped a crew member pull a rope.

  "Captain says you gotta serve me dinner."

  "Serve you? Like me to wear a maid dress, too?"

  Atzi's eyes widened. "Y-you do that?"

  "No." The crew member working with her laughed. "Careful how you phrase things around here. You hired us, but we're not your servants."

  Atzi gave an awkward laugh. "Right, right, sorry. But the food-"

  "I'll bring you your meal." Samantha said with a roll of her eyes.

  Atzi scurried off.

  -

  Atzi sat at the desk in her cabin, bored. I should have brought some porn. Maybe they play card games around here? Sailors do love to gamble in those stories… maybe with Sam we can do some strip-

  "Got your food! Hand's full, so need you to open the door!" came the first mate's voice.

  Atzi shot up from the stool and made her way over. As soon as she opened up, Samantha passed over a tray, two bowls, and a cup, leaving Atzi's arms full. "Um-"

  And then Samantha closed the door.

  Atzi stood there for a second, then sat down to eat.

  "I don't know how to deal with women when they think I'm some fancy pants. I thought having lots of money was supposed to be attractive!" Atzi lamented. She dug into some kind of chicken and gravy bowl. The chicken itself was pretty dry, saved only by the gravy. If I have to make this trip multiple times, I'll figure it out eventually.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  The ship suddenly lurched. Atzi's food went flying and gravy splashed all over her clothes. Before Atzi could even react, the ship shook again, this time even more violently.

  "E-eh?!" Atzi ran out, not caring for her appearance. She saw the crew grabbing weapons and rushing up top. "What's going on?! Is it the fish people?"

  "Stay here where it's safer!" Lattice shouted as she ran up the side-steps.

  No way. I need to figure out what's going on. Atzi sprinted onto the upper deck.

  She didn't see anything but the ice, water, and crew. Everyone looked around, cautious and confused. Samantha and Brock were busy talking in whispers when the ship shook a third time.

  Samantha turned towards the crew. "Damn it, that's not an iceberg! Everyone, ready yourselves!"

  "Eh? Eh? What's happening?" Atzi asked.

  "We're about to find out."

  From beneath the sea, a giant transparent tentacle rose up, organs pulsing underneath. It was at least three times the size of any of the half-giants on the ship, absolutely massive. It wriggled in place for a moment, before it suddenly smashed into the side of the ship's deck, splintering wood everywhere.

  "Attack!"

  Sailors rushed to obey, even as the ship shook. Gregori started chanting.

  Atzi hung back. I have no idea how to fight something that big! Maybe if I find an opening… Her hand twitched near her dagger, under her clothes.

  Lattice charged, already swinging her hammer. Her weapon connected against the tentacle, smashing its rubbery flesh into paste.

  The tentacle was clearly badly hurt. Past where Lattice had struck, it twitched limply on the deck. It tried to rise, but its own dead weight was dragging it down. Then with a sudden jerk it tore itself free. It leaked blue fluid as it writhed.

  Then, with a sickening pop, a new section of tentacle burst from the stump, sending globs of blue blood flying onto the ship. It had regenerated, as if it had never been injured.

  The newly restored tentacle swung down onto Lattice. The force of the blow collapsed the floor beneath her, hurtling the vanguard below deck.

  "Oh no. Oh no no no..." Atzi backed away further. "What is that thing?!"

  "A problem, that's what. Either get somewhere safe or help us fight!" Samantha shouted.

  Gregori finished his chant. The crew suddenly backed away from the tentacle, as if they knew what he was about to do. The half-giant mage thrust a large hand forward.

  There was a spark around his fingertips. Then it surged out, crackling forward in the shattered pattern of lightning. The jagged blue streaks were accompanied by a roar of thunder as they slammed into the enemy.

  The lightning coiled around the tentacle as though trying to find a way inside. The see-through skin lit up as the electricity surged through it, illuminating it with an eerie glow as it thrashed around.

  The last of the lightning drove through it before the light faded.

  It had done nothing, not even a singe.

  The tentacle continued its rampage, smashing two more crew into the mast.

  "I-I'll help fight..." Atzi said quietly, as she took out her dagger. I don't know if I can even do anything, but I have to try.

  Samantha shouted at the crew, "I don't believe it can keep up its tricks forever! Charge it again!"

  They all rushed forward, and Atzi rushed with them. She swung as hard as she could with her dagger, trying to cut the tentacle open.

  But the thing writhed and roiled unpredictably, causing Atzi to only cut the air. Then it twitched, and swung back around at her.

  "Ghk!" Atzi ducked, flattening herself against the deck as the tentacle passed overhead.

  Maybe... maybe I'm not going to be much help here... maybe I should hide after all...

  Several of the crew were already dead, or injured so badly they might as well have been. But the attacks had taken their toll on the creature. It was bleeding again, moving much slower, and not regenerating.

  Atzi decided to at least spit in its wound before retreating.

  She worked up a big amount of venom and saliva, mixing them together in her mouth. Then, as the tentacle next swept towards her, she spat.

  It hit the floor, sizzling a small hole.

  Atzi ran below deck.

  Lattice was on the floor, groaning, her head leaking blood.

  Atzi ran up to her. "H-hey, you alright? You gotta... get..." There wasn't anything she could do to heal the woman. She tried to lift the half-giant, to no avail.

  Tears welled up in the corner of Lattice's eyes. "I need...Greg. Heal."

  "I'll go get him!" Atzi ran back up.

  Gregori was chanting again. A visible wind surrounded the remaining crew, and they seemed to move much more nimbly around their foe - and over the piling bodies of their comrades.

  As Atzi ran up to him, the tentacle suddenly pointed in his direction. Its interior lit up again, just as when the mage had tried to shock it.

  A great bolt of lightning shot from its tip, striking the half-giant mage. He stumbled, then collapsed.

  Atzi froze in her tracks, trying not to get fried too. "Oh no... oh no..."

  Before she could run back down again, the ship gave a horrible shake. Two more tentacles rose from the other side of the boat and gripped on.

  Somehow, even through the din of battle, Atzi heard Samantha. "Fuck."

  Then, in a single tug, the boat was ripped in two.

  Atzi splashed into the water. She held her breath as she flailed in a panic, before remembering she could breathe underwater. She tried to calm down as she orientated herself.

  Streams of light were visible from above, piercing through the clear waters. Dead and dying sailors sunk through the water, surrounded by supplies. Scraps of wood rose up. Beneath the carnage, the light illuminated the creature just in front of her.

  It was a transparent dome of a creature, all its organs visible inside a jelly-like body. Several of its massive tentacles hung down from the bottom of its dome. On top of its 'head' were several rows of sharp teeth.

  Atzi tried to swim away as quickly as possible.

  Just as she began to move, the sea monster turned towards her, opening its circular mouth, and began to suck in water with immense force.

  Atzi used every bit of strength in her body as she swam for her life, heading away from the light. Maybe I can find what I'm looking for. If I go back to the surface, I won't be able to see that thing, and then I'm dead anyway!

  She just hoped the monster would chase the others, instead of her.

  The further down Atzi swam, the thinner the light got. Eventually, she lost track of where 'down' was.

  At least it didn't seem to have followed her.

  All her muscles ached. Even warm and able to breathe, the sea was a hostile place.

  If only I had some of those lanterns.

  She tried to right herself, but felt like she was only getting more lost. Even if she managed to swim back up to where the light used to be, it would have been gone, the sun long set.

  She felt a movement in the water beside her.

  Before she could get away, giant teeth closed around her torso.

  -

  Atzi screamed in pain.

  It was still dark. But a dark she recognized.

  "... I'm back here again. So… it wasn't the gate, it must be that artifact after all," she said to herself. She sighed in relief. She hadn't been entirely certain that would be the case.

  The Saintess floated in front of her. "If only we knew more about what was happening."

  "Yeah. It'd be easy if we knew how to get your memories back. If we can. You probably knew how to solve all of this."

  The Saintess was silent for a moment. Then she asked, "...What if I never get my memory back?"

  "Well..." Atzi thought about that. Maybe that's the case. She did actually die, maybe they're just gone. "Then I guess you gotta figure out what you wanna be from now on?"

  The Saintess seemed to ponder that. Eventually she said, "I'm a goddess. The Saintess. I don't know a whole lot. Most of what I know is from watching you. Talking with you."

  Atzi laughed nervously. Oh man, the number of her faithful that would absolutely flip out if they heard that. Like... Hemm. Wait, Hemm! She's alive! Atzi smiled. "Everyone's alive again."

  "Death is the worst," the Saintess repeated the words Atzi had once told her.

  Atzi nodded. "Yeah. Sucks that the only way to get everyone back is me dying again."

  "What if I had the power to stop death?" the Saintess suddenly asked.

  "That'd be pretty wild. You mean bring people back? Or stop them dying in the first place?"

  "Either. But… the latter would be better. You keep being brought back and you hate it."

  "Well, it depends, doesn't it? Not dying would be really bad if you could still get torn apart, or burned alive."

  "So...there's something worse than dying?" The Saintess asked with curiosity.

  "I guess, yeah. Getting tortured forever, that's worse than dying."

  "I understand..." her voice faded with her appearance, into the darkness once more.

  Atzi braced herself for the annoying old woman.

  -

  "Out! Out!"

  Atzi grimaced, and got up "I know. I know. I'm leaving."

  "Good!" The old woman shouted. She hobbled past Atzi, grumbling.

  "And I'm not on drugs, I had an accident and collapsed." Atzi added, before walking off.

  She had to go see Hemm.