River Symphony III

A fire was built in the sand from gathered sticks and dry leaves. With a little help from his lantern, it had been easy to get one going big enough to roast fish. Four had been impaled on a stick and laid atop a stone in the center of the fire pit. Smoke hazed around them. The wood crackled and snapped as lake water dripped and sizzled from the fishes' scales. Before long, a nice smoky, salty scent wafted through the air around where the two were sitting.

Sin eyed Seth and the roasting fish impatiently as his fingers continuously tightened their hold around his harp, plucking a string every so often. Up close Seth could finally see him and everything that made him so unique. Sin had scales, as he had already seen from the edge of the riverbank, but there was much more to him. The man's nails were, in fact, claws, dirty with sand, chipped and cracked in some places, but with points nonetheless. Whenever he tugged his lip back sharp teeth could be made out, and the man's hair was so heavy from the water that it was weighed down, lapping over his thighs. The way he sat, slouching and clawing at his instrument showed how anxious and impatient he was becoming, yet he just kept staring at the fish as it roasted.

It was true. Whatever Sin was- it wasn't human.

"Something wrong?" Seth finally asked, unable to stand the silence any further.

No response. Sin reached over to one of the barely cooked fish and pulled it from the smoky fire circle, pricking his claws into it as its tail fin twitched.

"H-Hey! It's not ready! It's only been a few seconds!"

Fangs snapped around it, breaking the hard exterior of scales like it was nothing. Bones cracked and blood splashed. It dripped from Pier's jaw and down his chin. He tore into the fish's flesh and devoured it as though he were still alone, disregarding Seth staring at him. His tongue licked over his lips and around his cheeks, sparing not a morsel. The point of his tongue helped to scoop loose meat and flesh as it dangled from the fish's exposed bones.

Seth was speechless, watching Sin devour his food. Despite the carnage, he remained cool. This particular breed they were cooking was known for its strong, dense scales that were difficult to remove. Yet Sin was crunching right through them using only his teeth, effortlessly; like it was completely normal for him. The dragoon blinked, hesitant to reach out and take one of the fish for himself. "If you were that hungry...erh-"

Sin shot a look at him that made Seth freeze.

"Erh, what exactly did you say you were again?"

"A fossegrimen," he answered sternly after licking the last bit of blood that had spilled down his arm. Sin appeared to have calmed down after having an appetizer.

"A fossegrimen...a grim. What exactly is that? I'm not all that savvy with things outside of dragons or things that fly."

It should come as no surprise that Sin didn't respond right away, but instead reached for his harp and began to strum along, using his nails as picks. "You asked if I was a siren last time. Remember? Although I detest the comparison, you may think of me like a siren, only harmless."

"Like a siren? If that's the case then why should I trust you? Sirens lure sailors to their deaths. How do I know you won't try to drown me?"

"I'm sitting here on dry land with you, aren't I?" he asked as he kept playing. "Though we are relatives, fossegrimen are docile towards humans. I was born here in this river and I'll die here, playing my music for those who can hear it." Another fish was had, this time one that was fully cooked. Still, instead of peeling the skin from it, Sin sank every fang into it. Not a shard of bone or scale went to waste with him.

Seth picked at his share of the food, trying to get as clean of a meaty bite as possible until Sin moved closer to him and extended his harp out for the other to take.

"Thank you. It was delicious. Now, the deal is struck, shall we begin?"

The dragoon blinked once more, confused as he looked down at the harp. "Is this a gift for me?"

Sin let out a small, unexpected laugh. "No. I would never part with any of my instruments." Slowly, his gaze was brought up to meet Seth in the eye. "You're a dumb one, aren't you? I'm offering to teach you how to play."

Seth leaned away slightly and raised a brow. "Wh-what? Why- why would you- sorry! I must have missed something. Why the hell are you trying to teach me to play the harp?"

"It comes with the territory. Usually, those who offer food to a grim is someone who wishes to learn their musical capabilities." Once again, he extended his harp for Seth to hold.

"Um...I was only being nice. Not a 'musicale' kind of guy. Why don't you just play me another song, huh? I like hearing you."

Once again, Sin didn't respond. He only scanned Seth before slowly retrieving his instrument and gave a shallow nod. His claws began to pluck away at harp strings, ringing in a pleasant, soft tune. At the same time, the waterfall became quieter, water falling slower. Ripples in the river bubbled and the faint sound of splashing could be heard. The fish still in the water were responding to Sin's music. No- the entire forest was, and yet Sin continued playing like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"You're a strange one," he muttered as he continued playing. "Who are you, exactly?"

Seth's attention was grabbed once again. "I'm Seth. A dragoon and dragon rider for Scaleshire. I thought I had told you last time," he said with his mouth full as he tore away fresh meat for the Karp's bone in his hand.

"No. That's not what I meant. Tell me, Seth. Where are you from."

"Here! I don't understand what you're getting at. I was born in Scaleshire and I've lived here my whole life. I was trained in the royal guard ever since boyhood!"

Sin continued playing, not once looking up at Seth. "And?"

"Well...I don't know what else to say. My parents were kind people- bakers. Though, they said I wasn't a planned child. Father never explained it. Something about magic beans and an old witch's curse. He brought me here shortly after I was born, but father refused to talk about it much beyond that, and mother...well, father said she died giving birth to me."

The mood shifted, as did the tune. Sin's fingers slowed and went for thicker strings. The music drifted into a bleaker number, similar to the one he had played on his fiddle. "I see…"

"B-but I mean- everything was still good. I met my best mate, Leon when we were training together. He ended up getting promoted to beast tamer and I was selected to be a dragon rider! Well...more like the dragons selected me! Hehe, no one could explain it but a lot of times the wyverns we take care of would flock to me and obey me, sometimes with more loyalty than even our teachers!"

Finally, the grim's song came to an end, and the forest slowly returned to normal. The waterfall crashed against the rocks. Rapids collided in the river. The fish simmered down, and Sin just gazed upon Seth with a small, modest smile across his lips. "Fascinating. Yet you don't find anything of that to be abnormal at all?"

"Why would I? I mean, it's not the same life as so many others I've known, but it's my life, all the same."

Sin turned his gaze upon him slowly and stared at him for an extended moment.

The fire was dying, and the last remaining fish was burned. Sin took it and devoured it just as he had the previous two. "It is time to go," he declared before standing up.

"What? Wait a second! We've hardly spoken. You can't just decide that! H-hey!"

Sin was already stepping back across the water, harp in hand, slowly, his back turned to Seth. "I don't like leaving the water for long. Please, return next week. I only ask that you come alone."

"Aren't you listening?! I said to hold on! I'm not finished speaking. Just-" but it didn't matter. As Seth charged into the water, fully armored, Sin strummed across his harp. Immediately a thick fog shrouded the area. The river became violent, hurling waters at the dragoon, and sent him back towards the sandy river bank. He landed on his back, crashing into the fire pit.

Seth coughed and spat river water as he pulled himself up, tossing off his helmet and reaching around for his spear...that was now nowhere to be found. Nor was there anyone there. Sin had vanished into the mist. He was alone, and just like last time all there was to hear was the sound of the river, cutting from the forest.