Horizon of Darkness

- What a feeling, - Zeikin finally said. - It's true that the sea is a hostile element for a land-dwelling person; who knows what you might encounter there. No king, nor any shaman, can control it, and who knows what lies beneath the surface in the depths. Maybe there are merfolk with an entire city, or creatures like our "jizha," or those scoundrels from the river. You, my friend, are a lucky man to have lived to old age and have so many stories to tell. I myself am not a coward, but the ocean – not a chance. On a wooden vessel, going where you can't even see the shore? No way. You'll drown, and that's a blessing, but what if you end up as someone's meal? Or even worse, you encounter unimaginable horrors, a single glimpse of which can drive you to madness... You, Gen, weren't a sailor by any chance, were you? - He looked around, remembering that his companion wasn't with them, and waved his hand, eventually reaching for a cigarette to calm his nerves.