In the thick white fog, the tall black-robed "Boatman" had already risen to his feet, walked to the bow of the small boat behind him, and caught the frozen soul Shade had thrown over while still rowing ahead.
The soul vanished into the black mist surrounding the god, who asked Shade:
"Now, do you understand the meaning of ferrying?"
With the cat standing on his shoulder, Shade looked back through the fog in the direction he had come from.
"Let me think. Taking people somewhere else?"
The god said:
"In the most ancient ages, sentient beings who had only just begun walking the world built cities beside rivers and lakes. Since then, traveling by boat had been one of the most important means of transportation.
Ferrying means the process of reaching one shore from another. It symbolizes crossing physical and spiritual obstacles after a long wait, representing breakthroughs and transcendence."
The Great Sin Chains connecting the two small boats silently vanished without Shade doing anything. Shade's boat stopped in place, while the god's boat slowly drifted backward.
"When you take up the oar, remember where you wish to go. Perhaps it will be lonely, perhaps the journey will be long, but Outlander, only you can ferry this little boat."
The god's figure vanished completely into the thick fog, but specks of golden light flew out of it and entered Shade's body.
Outlander, you have obtained Ferryman's Blessing: When rowing upon water, if you have a destination in mind, you will know the direction.
Artifact: Ferryman's Oar has become a component of the old wooden boat in your possession.
That saved Shade the trouble of figuring out how to bring this artifact to the Sixth Epoch. He lowered his head to look at the item in his hand, sighed, then turned