He was not one to take offense at help offered in the spirit of sincerity, though her voice was nearly lost in the crash of surf along the rugged stretch of shore. The knife-edged rocks were no strangers to him by now, not after the past year of patrols along every inch of the coastline of his home, seeking out Void corruption to root out and destroy or send into flight. Still, the reminder did no harm and he raised a hand in acknowledgment before he ducked fully beneath the waves.
Easier to navigate the hazard when he could see it, and closer to the sea floor, even in the shallows, the currents were not as strong as they were near the surface. A more slender - or more adventurous - Mer might have swum through the middle of the spires, dodging between them in the shortest path to the shore. Hadama - broad of shoulder and chest and not as young as he had once been - opted for the slower but safer route around the outside of the formation, his precious cargo tucked safely in a net bag attached to the harness that criss-crossed his torso, holding several smaller pouches and tools.
It was the trident that was slung across his back that would make his allegiance evident when he surfaced again, this time on the edge of the beach. Its tines were made of starlight and the intertwined gold-and-coral of the rest of its shaft was made by no mortal hand.
His skin was a rich brown, with numerous scars that had been tattooed over in gold so that he evoked a sense of living kintsugi. From his dark complexion his gem-like emerald eyes were striking and the steel-silver of his hair held a metallic sheen only found naturally among the Mer. He paused as he partially beached himself upon the strand, muscular blue-black tail flexing as he steadied himself in the shallow foot of water just off the dry sand and pebbles a body length away.
"No," he reassured the human woman, in a voice as deep and low as distant summer thunder. "I came to shore to plant a seed." And one was faintly visible in the net bag at his side, its golden rind gleaming in the sun past the sturdy strands of twisted kelp. "Have you been to the tree in Hak Etme?" It would save him an explanation if she was already familiar with the unexpected arboreal blessing that Caido had bestowed on them.
Easier to navigate the hazard when he could see it, and closer to the sea floor, even in the shallows, the currents were not as strong as they were near the surface. A more slender - or more adventurous - Mer might have swum through the middle of the spires, dodging between them in the shortest path to the shore. Hadama - broad of shoulder and chest and not as young as he had once been - opted for the slower but safer route around the outside of the formation, his precious cargo tucked safely in a net bag attached to the harness that criss-crossed his torso, holding several smaller pouches and tools.
It was the trident that was slung across his back that would make his allegiance evident when he surfaced again, this time on the edge of the beach. Its tines were made of starlight and the intertwined gold-and-coral of the rest of its shaft was made by no mortal hand.
His skin was a rich brown, with numerous scars that had been tattooed over in gold so that he evoked a sense of living kintsugi. From his dark complexion his gem-like emerald eyes were striking and the steel-silver of his hair held a metallic sheen only found naturally among the Mer. He paused as he partially beached himself upon the strand, muscular blue-black tail flexing as he steadied himself in the shallow foot of water just off the dry sand and pebbles a body length away.
"No," he reassured the human woman, in a voice as deep and low as distant summer thunder. "I came to shore to plant a seed." And one was faintly visible in the net bag at his side, its golden rind gleaming in the sun past the sturdy strands of twisted kelp. "Have you been to the tree in Hak Etme?" It would save him an explanation if she was already familiar with the unexpected arboreal blessing that Caido had bestowed on them.
