Grian woke up again a bit later and startled when he saw a person standing in front of the oven, stirring the pot.

He had a large straw hat on his head and a bandana pulled up over his nose. He wore a rolled up long sleeved white shirt with worn jeans and thick brown boots.

The stranger seemed to notice him staring and chuckled. "You know, it isn't nice to stare." He said with a deep voice.

Grian flinched. "S-Sorry."

The stranger simply chuckled. "Don't worry about it kid."

"I- I'm not a kid..." Grian muttered.

The man stopped stirring and poured a small bowl of soup out. "You hungry?"

Grian nodded.

The man stepped over and sat the bowl where Grian could reach it. "There you go."

Grian smiled. "Thank you." He looked up at the man and could only see his eyes but even so he could tell he didn't mean him any harm.

The man nodded and sat at the table. "You sure are lucky we found you when we did, kid."

Grian ignored the kid comment and glanced up at him from the soup.

"You were soaked to the bone and pretty beaten up. It's frankly a miracle you didn't drown."

Grian shivered at the thought. "Yeah..." He replied softly.

"So, you're Grian, huh?"

Grian looked up again and nodded. "Yes sir. But I don't think I got your name."

The man didn't reply to that. "I've heard a lot about you and the other "hermits"."

Grian tilted his head as he finished the soup. "You have?"

"I mean, who hasn't? Surely no one on this server hasn't heard about all of you."

Grian nodded. "I guess that's true." He tried to stand up to try to get down but winced in pain.

The man stood. "Easy there, kid. You're still pretty banged up."

Grian frowned. "I have to find my friends. They're in danger." He told the man.

"What kind of danger? And would it happen to be why you were in the middle of the ocean all beaten up?"

Grian nodded. "Yes! Evil Xisuma captured me and Xisuma! He's probably going after the others too!"

Something flashed in the mans' eyes. "Evil Xisuma?"

Grian nodded. "Please! I have to find the others and warn them!"

The man looked down in thought before standing up. "You can't."

"What?!" Grian cried, stepping forward but wincing as he did. "You can't keep me here!"

The man sighed. "Okay. Let's make a deal then."

Grian furrowed his brow. "What?"

"If you stay here at least one more day and just rest then I will help you find your friends and stop Evil Xisuma."

Grian blinked. "Really?"

He nodded. "But you have to be able to at least walk. You won't be able to help them in this state."

Grian looked down before nodding. "Okay. Deal." he yawned.

The man smiled under the bandana. "Get some rest Grian. You'll need it."

Grian curled up on the bed and glanced at the man. "Um, sir?"

The man glanced back at him from the doorway. "Yes?"

"Um... Thank you."

"Of course."

"And please tell that to that chicken lady too..." Grian said sleepily.

"As you wish."

"And what can I call you?"

The man looked back at the rapidly falling asleep cat in his bed. "Goodnight Grian."

Grian didn't argue and just drifted off to sleep.