The journey through the Stygian marsh was grueling. Both the Crab and I had to help pull each other free from the clinging mud. We had to be careful not to fall—because if we sank completely, I wasn't sure we'd ever be able to claw our way back out. Judging by the mud's suction strength, that would be the end of us. Best not to fall at all.
"You know... we've known each other for a while now," the Crab said as he helped free my left leg from a particularly sticky patch. Once it popped free, he continued, "I don't want to keep calling you 'you,' and I don't want to keep calling myself 'I' all the time. It feels distant, you know? Since we're already close, maybe we should start calling each other by name. What do you say?"
He flashed a sweet smile.
Wait a minute... since when were we close?
"No," I replied without hesitation.
"Why not?" he asked, frowning.
"Because I don't see the point. Sooner or later, we'll be going our separate ways anyway. And besides, I like being alone, okay?" I answered, trying to balance myself in the mud with arms outstretched.
"But you promised not to leave me alone," the Crab said, reminding me of our deal.
"That's a totally different matter. I promised we'd go see Sisyphus together and ask for his help. Once we escape this place, we go our separate ways. That was the agreement."
"No fair! You have to take me with you," the Crab whined like a child.
"Why would I? We don't even really know each other. You're just suddenly asking to tag along."
"Even if we don't know each other well... I just feel like we were fated to meet. I really believe that," he pleaded.
"Don't say creepy stuff like that."
"But it's true! Don't you think it's strange? The Underworld is huge, and yet we managed to cross paths. If we hadn't met, we'd both still be sobbing by the shores of the Acheron, aimless and alone."
He was trying every trick in the book to win me over.
Truth be told, I didn't actually dislike the Crab. He was a decent guy—just a bit annoying. The real reason I didn't want to travel with him had more to do with my past. I'd had enough of teaming up with newly reborn side characters. Last time, I nearly got killed by one who fell under the sway of Persuasion. Luckily, I'd barely made it out alive. New side characters are especially sensitive to its influence and fall under its control much more easily than seasoned ones like me. That's dangerous.
I couldn't be sure that sticking close to the Crab would be safe. Every minute would be a risk. Sure, he might be friendly now, but what if tomorrow he turns on me?
Then again... he had helped me this whole time. He didn't have to cross the Acheron with me—he could've just boarded the boat alone. But he gave me his obolus and took the risk of sneaking aboard in crab form, hiding among barnacles just to get across. Now he was helping me trudge through this muck, even though he didn't have to.
We finally made it out of the Stygian marsh, but the Crab still wouldn't give up.
"Please?" he begged.
I could feel the pressure building inside me. My mind was spinning. The power of Persuasion near the shores of this weeping lake was growing stronger, and I was starting to feel its emotional pull. The Crab must've been affected too—his face was the very picture of sorrow and desperation.
And that's not good. Now I was actually starting to feel sorry for him.
I tried to suppress the feeling, but the more I did, the more it pressed on my chest like a weight. The Persuasion here was intense. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Fine, fine! I'll be your friend, okay?"
I had officially lost to the Crab's persistence—and the ambient emotional manipulation.
The sorrow in his eyes turned to radiant joy. He grabbed me and shook me hard.
"Really?! You're not tricking me, right?"
"E-enough shaking... please," I stammered.
The Crab beamed from ear to ear. Just being called a friend had him bursting with joy.
"From now on, call me Kinos! And you—what should I call you?"
"Uhh... let me think." I searched for a name that suited me. After a brief pause, I settled on one. "From now on, call me Sept."
Sept—as in Seven. It came from a word spoken by the godly physician Asclepius when he saw the prison number tattooed on my arm.
Kinos squinted at me. "Sept? That's the best you could come up with?"
Hmph. Like Kinos is such a cool name.