Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

The following morning in Frostshore Haven was nice and cool, with the scent of the sea mingling with the lively commotion of the city. 

Mira, Linnea, Dominique, and Hana set out early, navigating through the crowded streets towards the market district. They hoped to gather more details about the Northern Continent and the ocean separating them, as well as the necessary supplies for their journey.

Meanwhile, Rhydian and Elenei headed towards the docks. The area was full of sailors shouting orders and merchants haggling over prices, with the sounds of seagulls echoing overhead. 

Rhydian's towering presence, even in her human form, made the crowd part before them like the waves of the sea. Elenei's presence also deterred any annoyances who might have had the thought of causing trouble.

At the market, Mira, Linnea, and Hana moved among the stalls. Linnea was fascinated by the variety of items, many of which she had never seen before. 

Hana, on the other hand, was more focused on listening to the conversations around them, picking up snippets of information about the Northern Continent.

"The ocean's been quite chaotic lately, huh," one merchant was saying to a customer.

"Aye. I've heard of people comin' and going from all over. Bunch'a strong ones, too. Makin' the waters more dangerous." the customer replied, shaking his head.

"Ah. Now that you mention it… It's been a while since people from other Continents have flown over the oceans this much. I'm sure those oceanic beasts are havin' a field day right now."

"Aye. Makin' life tough for the rest of us folk. Bunch'a bastards."

"Well, if you can kill any of them, don't forget to sell them to me~ I'll buy them at a premium!"

"Fat chance, tubby. I ain't goin' out in those waters now. Gonna hold up 'til things blow over."

"Speaking of, it seems we've had more visitors in the last few weeks than we've had in years."

"...Aye. A calm before the storm, I say."

Mira's ears perked up at this, confirming her earlier thoughts. Crossing the ocean wasn't going to be easy.

Back at the docks, Rhydian and Elenei were making inquiries about captains that frequented the oceans. 

They learned that most voyages to the Northern Continent were either led by powerful cultivators or large merchant guilds with resources to hire experienced sailors and sturdy ships. 

Not only that but there were secret channels within the ocean. Not going through them, for normal people, was nothing more than a death sentence. 

While they couldn't exactly understand why. It seemed that some of the aquatic beasts were either friendlier or they had prior agreements with some of the captains. Other than that, there were just some routes that were safer than others.

However, compared to the other Continents, the northern one was the most dangerous and most costly due to the ice, harsh weather, and unexpected variables.

One grizzled old sailor, after a bit of coaxing from Elenei, shared that there was a captain in the city known for his daring journeys to the Northern Continent. 

"Captain Jorvik," he said, spitting tobacco into the sea. "He's a tough one, been to the Northern Continent and back more times than I can count. If anyone can get you there, it's him. However, he's not cheap, and he'll only do it if he's feelin' good that day."

Rhydian and Elenei exchanged a look. They had a lead, albeit not a great one.

As the day wore on, Mira, Linnea, Dominique, and Hana gathered not only information but also essential supplies: warm clothing, medicinal herbs, and various tools that could be useful in a harsh environment.

By the time the group reconvened at the inn, they had a solid plan forming. 

They would seek out Captain Jorvik and negotiate passage to the Northern Continent. 

That evening, as they sat around a table in the inn's common room, Mira shared her thoughts with the group. "From what I can tell, we can just learn more about the Northern Continent when we get there. It's actually getting there that's the hard part."

"We came to a similar conclusion," Elenei said. "However, there are several ways to cross the ocean. One, hire a guide. Two, buy a boat and go ourselves. Or three, fly over. Of course, there are other ways, but those are the safest and most common."

Honestly, Mira quite liked the second option, but much less reaching the Northern Continent, she didn't even know how to control a boat and navigate the seas. 

'Do boats even work the same way here as they did in my previous lives?' Mira wondered. Now that Qi was involved, she assumed that these captains must use special boat artifacts or something to make things easier. 

'Maybe they run on Spirit Stones? That'd be kind of interesting.' She mused before shaking her head, returning to the original topic. 

"Well, since option two isn't much of an option and flying over is too much risk with almost no benefit, it seems like we can only hire a guide."

"Mmhm." Elenei nodded. "We heard of a man, Captain Jorvik, who might be able to take us, but the people said it depended on his mood."

"Tch." Mira clicked her tongue. "Didn't you find anyone else? Surely, he's not the only one."

"He's not, it's just… From what we heard, he was the most reliable."

"Then, I guess we'll just have to make him 'feel' like taking us." Mira shook her head slightly, finding this situation a little annoying. 

Why couldn't she just freeze her way to the Northern Continent? Why'd she have to rely on these assholes to help her?

'Whatever. If this Captain Jorvik can take us across, then I guess that's all we need.' Mira thought as she stood up with Dominique and returned to their room.

***

The next morning, Mira went out with Elenei to find this Captain Jorvik guy.

The docks were already full of activity. Fishermen were preparing their boats, merchants were unloading their goods, and sailors were sharing tales of their latest voyages. 

Amidst this commotion, Mira and Elenei searched for Captain Jorvik.

As they walked down the wooden planks of the pier, Mira scanned each ship and its crew. She was looking for someone who exuded the confidence and experience of a seasoned sailor, with the strength to go along with it.

Finally, they spotted a ship that stood out from the rest. It was larger and sturdier, with a hull that looked beaten to hell yet still stood strong. The crew moved quickly and with a sense of purpose, despite them being docked.

At the helm stood a man who matched the description of Captain Jorvik. He was tall and weather-beaten, with a thick beard and eyes that had seen many storms. He was barking orders to his crew as they neared the boat.

Mira approached him, her steps confident and purposeful. As she closed in on him, the captain turned to face her with an appraising gaze.

"Captain Jorvik?" Mira asked with a clear and authoritative voice.

"That's me," he replied gruffly. "What do you want?" He asked while scanning Mira's numerous tails and Elenei's odd features. His instincts told him that these two were dangerous. Incredibly dangerous. 

He normally would've tried to throw them off, but felt that… it may be better for his lifespan if he heard them out.

"We need passage to the Northern Continent," Mira stated, getting straight to the point.

Jorvik let out a laugh, a deep, booming sound that seemed to resonate with the sea itself. "The Northern Continent, eh? You know it's not a pleasure cruise, right? Those waters are treacherous, and the continent itself is no less dangerous."

"We're aware," Elenei interjected, her tone equally firm. 

Jorvik eyed them for a moment, his gaze lingering on Mira, especially her blood-red eyes. "You've got the look of someone who's seen a fair share of battles," he said, nodding slightly. "But it's not just about fighting. The sea has its own rules, and she doesn't care how strong you are on land."

"Name your price," Mira ordered, causing the crew on board to momentarily stop what they were doing and glare at her.

"Missy," Captain Jorvik sighed. "I don't know what you've heard, but I don't take just anyone."

"Now you do," Mira stated, even more unyielding. "You either accept the payment, or you do it for free. I don't have the time nor patience to put up with your nonsense, so choose."

"..."