Viridos, Chapter 2

[Quiet One]

"See... see... see sea seeing the sea, what can I see in the sea...?"

Gomyar looked at the witch oddly. She was just murmuring gibberish. She hadn't touched that Monolith, had she? But then it quickly made sense as she illuminated the sea, showing the true length and size of their foe. Gomyar was far more comfortable not knowing that.

Then Kozoul began shouting for Ironblood. The Kin had to agree that she might be needed here, but the sudden panic and lack of confidence from her had unnerved him. That kind of fear was more than a little contagious and he stepped away from the side of the ship. After briefly scolding herself, Gomyar saw her pull herself together and start making...something. It was black and hot and foul smelling. Obviously some kind of weapon. He lived in the forests. He had never seen pitch before.

"Brother, how far can you throw? This... this is, it will... throw it Brother, with all your might and pray do not miss. It will slow down this monster."

He was hesitant to touch the stuff, but he grabbed a big handful. The pitch was hot, yet through some sort of magic it didn't burn him. The serpent was thrashing about the water by now, and finding a spot on its scaly body that was staying still was proving to be difficult.

The entire crew was at full attention now. The captain was issuing orders, though Gomyar could have sworn he heard him utter a prayer under his breath. They attacked the creature with harpoons that bounced off its scaly hide like nothing. The monster roared, an awful, chilling sound. Gomyar took a short step forward and threw the burning pitch in his hand. It struck the monstrous creature's nostril. It snorted, shook its face in the water for a moment, but seemed no worse off. Just a little bit more annoyed.

"EVERYONE COVER YOUR EARS!"

Gomyar didn't look around to see who said that. He just did it, clamping his viney hands tightly over his head. Even through this he heard a piercing shriek. The serpent shook its head, roaring again, but this time the noise coming from its maw was drowned out by the source of the other cry. The creature was distracted, but with everyone else having their hands busy protecting their ears, they could hardly fight back against the disoriented monster.

 

[Saphen]

Ash of the Heartwood

On this plane they took the form of a dryad, a spirit of the wood itself. Their face was masculine with strong features and a set jaw but their body was feminine with slender curves on a smaller frame. Their eyes glowed with the deep inner fire that was the final death for all things. Living wood grew on their chest and parts of their arms, covering the dead wood beneath it that formed their face and the rest of their body. Their antlers were larger and moved like the tails of snakes, darting back and forth without thought as the prophet spoke.

"For you are the only one who has seen his face and lived."
​

The mention of the monster struck them visibly as they turned their head, the tendrils of heartwood folding back in an almost submissive posture. They regained their composure quickly, turning their head to watch the ships at sea. In the presence of the Prophet they found some solace, they were not afraid of this new place or the battle that raged before them. Nothing had rattled them more than the creature that stole the most beautiful part of life away from Ilium, death. It was their duty to Ilium to make things right and if anyone knew how to do that it was the Prophet.

Their eyes burned brightly, watching the tide of battle change in time with the ocean beneath it. "They will fight, they will kill, they will sink to the bottom of the ocean, this does not concern me." They said as they turned their fiery gaze back to the prophet. "Death comes for us all that is the way of life. But he...is not death." The waves crashed around them, the turmoil of the ocean harmonizing with the trials that Crux and Aux must face together.

"We took the bodies from him, they were corrupted and defiled in ways we have never seen before. They were dead and yet they were not. Even though life had long since faded from their eyes their Aux had not passed on to Ilium." Their teeth gritted as tears of molten sorrow burned down their cheeks "We are only meant to take care of the dead, lay them to rest in the heart of Ilium." They put their hand over their heart, the red glow oscillating between their fingers.

"We had no choice, we had to kill them for their death had already happened and yet the peace that is born from it was stolen away from them!" The waves rose and crashed around them but some how never touched them, Ash and Cora found themselves screaming to be heard over the deafening sound.

They waved their hand at the ships "Lucky are those who die now long before they have their peace stolen away from them!" The living antlers danced violently above them, darting back and forth as if to stave off an enemy they could not see. "What would you have us do? What is this monster? Who was the Iron Child? How did we get here? HOW WERE WE BORN?! WHO ARE WE?!"

The last question echoed through the air, the ocean became still as if it was commanded to do so. The silence was so loud in their ears they wanted to scream, they could feel their heart trying desperately to flee. But together they found the resolve to stand and wait for the response from the Prophet.

 

[Falcon]

Malachi and Ayanne Marshden, green

A Short Time Earlier
Malachi
When Malachi climbed back aboard, dodging the sailors who were on duty he grinned to himself at his success. That is until he spotted one figure sitting against the foremast. A single lone figure that seemed to be staring directly at the spot where he had clambered back on board. He drifted closer to get a better look at the party in question, all the while managing to blend in, looking like just another sailor going about their job.

Upon closer inspection Malachi realized it was the healer girl sitting there. Ayanne or so he thought her name was. There was a zoned out fearful look on her face and he realized there was also a chance she might not have seen him at all. Still, better to be certain. He stood in front of her for a minute before kneeling down to talk, asking her questions that could be interpreted various ways, but would get him the answers he needed regardless. He was prepared for the healer to give a wrong answer at any moment. Better to take the opportunity to silence the girl before she became a problem.

Ayanne

Ayanne sat firmly against the foremast gazing up at the night sky, trying to remember the constellations by name and the stories that went with them as she struggled to fill her mind with images other than the monolith and the horrible realization that was rising in her gut. Her belt knife pressed against her back, her belt having shifted and wedged it between her and the mast. She ignored the discomfort. A shadow suddenly blotted out her view and in the darkness she couldn't quite make out the face, but the voice seemed firm, and determined to know something. The voice was familiar but she couldn't place it. Had she seen . . . had she seen what? Someone he was looking for? She tried to focus on him, on his voice, and eventually remembered that he was a sailor she had heard called Malachi. From the little she could make out through her fuzzed brain he was looking for a friend, thought he might have been climbing in the rigging, or she thought it was the rigging, she couldn't be sure.

"I've seen no one," she whispered in answer, "but I haven't been sitting here long. Perhaps he snuck into the galley after some of the fox cook's rum. All things considered a drink might be a good idea right about now." She offered him a friendly smile, but it was shaky and uncertain.
Malachi started to leave her then, but before he could go she grabbed his wrist and held him still for a moment. "They say there was only one survivor, of the group that found the thing originally, yet we brought it here to the ship . . . The monolith - That thing, it's evil," she whispered. "The rest don't understand, not really. When we found it everything was in a state of decay or already dead. It was all we could do to clear a safe path, and the power there . . ." she raised a hand to her neck and shuddered. "They're going to take it to Edelon, to the heart, surrounded by everything, the center of the nation we hold most dear. From there . . ." she took a deep breath, ignoring the shouts of the sailors that something was coming, and the roaring that seemed to echo in the night. "From there, the death and decay that surrounded it here can start again, spreading out infecting everything. The land, the foliage, the animals, the people . . . It will destroy us from within and I - I can't shake the feeling that the thing is sentient, that this is what it wants . . . if not, why are we not dead?"

The shouts and the roaring grew stronger and Ayanne was jerked back to reality by the sound of them. She released Malachi's wrist and stood, back still against the foremast, kicking aside a bit of rope that had tangled about her foot. It tumbled haphazardly across the deck. She looked down across the ship at the people running, trying to find their place, figure out what to do. She saw the one called Kozoul do something and the sea begin to glow. She heard the cry to aim for the eyes. Only then did she look out across the sea and at what approached them. "Light above, preserve us-" Ayanne hissed as the beast gave another cry that seemed to send waves of fear rolling across the deck and the Captain was forced to rally his men. As she looked at the chaos she realized something. The images of the monolith burned into her mind had filled her with such fear and dread that when faced with the sight of an approaching Sea Monster all she could feel was numb.

Present

Ayanne covered her ears to protect against a horrible scream that came from one of their own. If that serpent had ears they would be ringing. Sailors raced across the deck, the Sea Wraith's cannons fired and missed, spell globs were lobed at the creature, the sea glowed, and something, something seemed terribly wrong about the whole situation.

The Sea Monster disappeared leaving another ship in its place, firing its own cannons and hooks. The Sea Wraith rocked as she was caught, and Aynne looked on in horror, trying to force her brain out of its fear frozen state and react.

 

[Asmodeus]

One sonic attack met the other, blossoming brilliant light between the ships. The illusion faded, and a reality more terrifying loomed. The Silver Shadow was broadside to the Sea Wraith.

Cannons fired, thunderstrike after thunderstrike. As smoke replaced the iron barrels at the gun ports, they rolled back into darkness like thieves with their takings. And on the other side wood planks obliterated. With burning breaches the Sea Wraith's hold and gun deck were smashed apart. Grapeshot tore through the lower cabins and shredded limbs and torsos.

Then came second thunder. The Silver Shadow, with its tiller assembly savaged by sea-life, could not steer its momentum. As it came broadside its stern swung into the other ship, holds colliding, masts and sails entangling. The ships were locked together in their death-wrestle. They drifted as one, wreathed in smoke as the pirates boarded.

"Oh cripes!" Sprig swum aside as the fen shark splashed back down into the water, savaging an Avian pirate it had snatched from the air. Above it dolphins were leading the assault on the rudder. Sprig fled the spreading blood cloud and yelled. "Don't give up! Wreck thah tail fin!"

The hobbler darted under the hull of the Sea Wraith, plunging through a world of sinking debris. There were bodies in the water. He screwed his eyes shut, used his hands to guide along the underbelly of the ship. Then he broke the surface on the other side.

It was not much better over here. Canister and chainshot, fired point-blank, had ripped through the lower decks and exited in splintered, bloody wounds. He lunged up, gripping the bent out planking of the nearest hole. And with a groan he hoisted himself up. Smoke stung his eyes, bringing tears and redness as he hauled himself into a ruined cabin. He had to get back in and help the others escape. Maybe the dolphins could give them rides to the shore. Maybe the cockboats were still intact. If he could get to the Witch Kozoul they could summon a--

Sprig screamed and scurried back against the edge of the breach, pulling his knees up, sinking inside his cloak.

It was Aela's cabin he had crawled into... the prison cell where the captain had put her.

A grapeshot had torn right through it. There was nothing left but flayed limbs, outstretched from a ruined torso. Where flesh ended and wood began, he could not tell.

"No.. no no no... no..."

Sprig rocked back and forth, hiding his face as the blood crept across the boards towards him.

 

[Bahiyya]

Sevoret Umilas

Time was ticking away. Sevoret was growing weaker and weaker with every second that she used her advent. One minute. That was it. She had one minute to defend the Sea Wraith and then she'd be cut off, her body left weak and her mind left at an unfocused state. As her mouth was opened wide, letting out her powerful, yet energy-draining screech, Sevoret prayed to Ilium that she'd help at least a little.

Three...

Two...

One.

The last three seconds that she counted went to the rhythm of her pounding heart. Her heart was threatening to break free from her chest. Sevoret's voice gave out that instant, and she dropped to her knees, the strength she once had a bit exhausted. But, the battle so far from being over, she knew. The serpent opponent, it seemed, was a trick. Some deception of the mind that led the Sea Wraith's occupiers to believe that an opposing ship was a sea monster prepared to kill. A ship! Who could have pulled the wool over their eyes in such a way? Some magic it was.....

But the battle is far from over, Sevoret said to herself. She was weak, but her awareness was gaining.

The Sea Wraith and the opposing ship collided with each other. Sevoret was glued to the ground, her bow laid out next to her. She didn't see the solid chance to get up, however when it ever presented itself, she would all but jump at it.

The opponent was boarding the ship. One could hear the roar of men hungry for the kill. But Sevoret just wasn't prepared to have her Aux desert her fallen Crux, Nahsahr returning to Ilium. No, not just yet. Sevoret knew that death would snatch her in due time, but she thought it not the time at this very moment.

With what strength she had, Sevoret pushed herself up to her feet. And, using the agility she trained so hard to maintain, trying to the best of her ability to make it to her bunk room.

When she got there, she quickly strapped the sheaths of her twin daggers to each thigh before making her way out to the fierce battle ahead.

Sevoret was a bit wobbly on her feet, however she managed to stand her ground. She already had the container of arrows on her person, so she readied her bow. And when an opponent Avian came flying her way, she steadied her bow, pulled back, and released.

The arrow struck the Avian in the neck, deathly close to the Adam's apple.

 

[Kooriryu]

Kozoul, Viridosi witch & Riven bee keeper
On board the Sea Wraith

Kozoul toppled onto the deck, nearly loosing the remaining goop in her arms while she tried to cover her ears at the call of the Avian. Torquing in her fall she landed harshly on her side, it felt like she had gotten punched in the ribs but the goop remained untriggered. The ship rocked and shuddered again... and again and again. The ship kept tossing her and the crew about, it sounded like the sea monster was ripping the Sea Wraith to shreds. It was all the witchling could to do to struggle with turning her body into a safe cage for the goop, lest it be activated and incapacitate her. She wriggled her way over to a group of barrels lashed together, the barrels would at least make sure things would only fall on her from one side. She rolled onto her back to sit up when she saw waving sword and harpoon points above the rims of the barrels. The sudden, desperate yelling and clanging of steel made the half kin's eyes widen with dread realization.

They weren't being eaten by a sea monster, they were being boarded by pirates.

Breath catching in her throat, Kozoul felt dizzy from the combination of fear, panic and frustration. Wasn't it odd... isn't it odd to have a journey so beset by tribulations such as these? Ironblood never went into detail about the potential dangers, just that they would test her to her most magical limits. But the witchling assumed it would have been the natural perils that the untamed wilderness the Green Realm had to offer not... something so real as marauding pirates and floating death clouds. She presumed the dangers would be things she knew to prepare for, to counteract but the wholly unexpected mishaps along the way had started to needle the egregiously untested Riven witch.

Where is the captain? Where is Lady Ironblood? Where is she? Why is she not here? the budding resentment at Lady Ironblood's apparent absence gnawed on the witchling, the captain's absence less so. It wasn't the captain who knew her abilities, it was the high alchemist. Kozoul had hoped that she would just stand aside and worry only of what the cinnabar clad woman would ask her to do. She was prepared to be a mere lapdog, the minimum amount of effort for the reward she was promised. She huddled up against the barrels, the goop starting to ooze out of her arms. The enormity of her situation was dawning on her and she was at a complete loss.

Daft... witless... foolish little witchling of Riven. I had told you that you will die on this journey and your death knell is sounding so loud I can here it all the way from where you have left me...! Hahaha, stupid half-elf! Impotent girl! Not even he will mourn you...!

The sting of Hagmother Drala's projected words was lost in the cacophony of steel hitting bone, shouts of valor and screams from massacre. Numerous times Kozoul attempted to get up, to use the last of the pitch and all times she slumped back down. The hagmother was right, she was not suited for this and she was foolish for believing so. Not even Ironblood could do much with one such as she, if a pirate would come along her death would pass neither mourned or celebrated. For what was she on the Sea Wraith? Just one more body from Lady Ironblood's party, the crew knew many of them weren't fighters. She, with her thin, spindly limbs unaccustomed to holding anything heavier than a half-full cauldron would be understandably among those in the death count.

"... Looky here mates, we found ourselves a lovely li'l poppet, aye?" the voice came from a man leering down at Kozoul from behind the barrels, she could see blood speckling his beard and his eyes glazed, drunk from battle. Two others flanked him, one hopping and sitting on the barrel with his legs dangling on either side of the witchling's head. They were spattered with blood and charcoal, their swords held loosely in their hands.

"What say you come along with us, poppet...? Come without a fuss and we'll leave you with all your bits in place... make a fuss, well..." threatened the one with the beard; the one whose legs surrounded her head lifted a lock of her hair with his blade and let her hair gently fall in front of her face, the swordpoint gleaming in the moonlight.

"G-geh..." Kozoul started, her arms bundling up even as the ooze continued to sag out of them.

"Aye?"

"GET AWAY!" the half kin cried, swinging her arms wide above her head, a sickening plop as the goop hit the pirate sitting above her in the face, the ooze changing from a slick gloss to a matte sheen as it started to expand and envelop the pirate's head. In the time the brigand fell back, Kozoul scrambled away from them but she wasn't fast enough.

"Treacherous whore, we'll gut you for chum!" yelled the bearded pirate, arcing his sword across and catching Kozoul in her shoulder blade. The pain shot out from her shoulder and seemed to claw at the back of her head. She didn't want to die, if anything she wanted to prove to the hagmother that she would come back alive, if not whole. She just wanted to further her studies, that was all she wanted. Riven... the hagmother... she had hit a block, unable to acquire the components she needed to finish experiments, should she have to die in the pursuit of knowledge? Would Lady Ironblood lay down in this way? But then Lady Ironblood was surely well acquainted with such things, how to maneuver around them, move past them... something Kozoul was just now learning in the most wretched way possible.

She could not fight with her magic, she had finally learned that so what could she do? The sensation of her blood dripping down the open gash in her shoulder throbbed, and she couldn' t afford to gain another wound. Her partial Forest Kin heritage helpfully made bleed out less pressing as their blood oozed like the sap from trees. We bleed like sap... like... sap. That's it! The pirates were rounding on her, after relishing the fear evident in her body language. Their taunts went on deaf ears as the witchling's mind raced, fueled on by the instinct to survive. She reached across her chest to reach at her shoulder blade, the sword slash came up close enough to feel the unnatural separation of her flesh with her finger tips. Quickly, quickly Kozoul your blood is exposed and Hagmother Drala has taught you enough blood magic, what can you do?! Heartbeat pounding in her ears, Kozoul let her hand jab into her sleeve, feeling for it, and pulled out a bunch of plant cuttings tied together by a leather thong.

"Look'a that, Morlen! The stupid wench is gonna give us a bouquet to use at her funeral! Haw haw!"

Her pupils swung to and fro pulling apart the bunch, trying to separate the plants from one another, the one she needed had to be there! Her fingers jumped at the sight of the teardrop shaped leaf and tore it off, reaching hastily behind her to touch some part of it to her bleeding wound...!

"Kiso'tet zolor nesh, nesh zolor kolo'tat!"

"Oy! Wot she's doin' Furgo? Grab 'er!" the bearded pirate bellowed; the third pirate leaped at her, hooking his arm around the half kin's neck and trapping her hand at her shoulder. "What's this then, girlie, were you hopin' to extend a flower 'o peace to us?" the bearded pirate asked mockingly, he picked up the bunch and looked at it and clacked his tongue tossing it aside. "Not even a single pretty flower fer you or me Furg! ...Furg? O-oy Furg!"

The third pirate's eyes had glazed over, bits of foam collected at the corners of his mouth and gurgling sounds struggling from between his lips. To the other man's horror his skin had turned bloated and unnaturally red. It looked like a rash and seemed to be radiating from where the witchling's trapped hand touched the brigand's arm. His grip on Kozoul slackened as he crumbled to the ground and curled up in the most unseemly pose before his body started to seize. Kozoul hopped away from his body, bloodied hand held out in front of her like a protection ward. The bearded pirate stood uneasily, sword drawn and eyes darting at her and his comrade.

"You... y-you bitch! What did you do to 'im?!"

There's just enough space... ! Kozoul opened her mouth as if to answer the pirate's question, instead she whirled on her heels and fled the other way, haphazardly sticking her hands in front of her as she ran, her touch stained by the poison luden's vine's aspect.

 

[Seth Bloodmoon]

In a cacophony of hellish sound the sea serpent was revealed to be nothing but an illusion. The truth was revealed in the form of a hostile ship and there was no time to reload the few cannons that remained operable on the gun deck, even if the gun crews weren't blinded by the thick black smoke brought on by the cannons that had misfired. The entire situation was a nightmare that couldn't have been anticipated.

"No..," those quiet words muttered by Valyrin as the Silver Shadow replaced the faux monster. Then, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Brace yourselves!" The instant those words left his lips the hostile ship's cannons unleashed their fury and tore into the Sea wraith. Men screamed in agony and died. Others died without a sound.

Then the two ships collided a moment later, and the force of it was enough to cause the captain to stagger, but he regained his footing quickly focusing his gaze upon the pirates that now dared to board his ship. Anger flared in his eyes as he unsheathed his katana and shouted again, "Let these craven cowards know they have chosen the wrong ship to attack! Kill them all! Paint the seas red with their blood!" The Silver Shadow had gotten the drop on them, but they would pay dearly, by Ilium they would.

The majority of the Sea Wraith's crew were seasoned veterans, recovering quickly from the initial shock of the situation. Roaring their defiance many of the men moved to meet the enemy and the sound of vicious melee soon filled the air. On this night, death reigned supreme and it took no sides in this brutal struggle.

As the battle raged across the deck of the Sea Wraith, Valyrin was engaged in combat with a rat anima on the quarterdeck. The creature was skilled, and even managed to draw first blood in a shallow cut across the half-Kin's left shoulder. In the end, though, it was not enough as the captain knocked aside the anima's blade, stepped into the opening it created and drove his blade into the creature's stomach. The anima's eyes widened in agony as Valyrin ripped his blade to one side, opening its belly. Frantically, the ratling dropped its sword and tried to hold its guts in, staggering backwards a few feet before collapsing.

Rhys and two other sailors nearby managed to get to him and formed a protective ring as best they could, buying Valyrin some breathing room so that he could reassess the situation and call out another command, "Pods, types one and two!" There was a third type, but fire would be bad with the ships entangled in a deadly embrace.

Members of the Sea Wraith's crew, not caught up in the melee, deployed the unusual weapons. At least unusual for those not from Viridos. They were plant pods, about the size of and shape of a coconut. These were lobbed at the deck of the Silver Shadow and when they struck something, be it the ship or a living person, they burst open. Some of them spewed forth poisonous spores that would, at the very least, make a person nauseous and disoriented. A second type, these pods a bit larger than the others, sent clusters of two-inch long thorns sailing through the air upon erupting. While those thorns weren't exactly deadly, they had a toxin in them that caused severe pain. Not to mention what would happen should they found their way into a person's eyes.

Valyrin could only hope Lady Ironblood and those who joined her expedition were alright. He knew several were on deck, in the middle of this dance of death. By Ilium's grace they would weather this storm and come out alive. The price of procuring the monolith was rising with every passing moment. Was it worth it?

 

[Quiet One]

Suddenly the serpent was gone. At first Gomyar was relieved, but that lasted for all of three seconds. The monster had been a trick, just some kind of illusion. They were in truth being attacked by something far more real: pirates.

They jumped aboard and Gomyar was at a loss of what to do. Being a fairly nonviolent Kin, he wasn't used to fighting, especially not on the sea. He curled his fist and barbs sprouted from his arm. He swung wildly, connecting but not successfully knocking anyone down. He looked around until he found the minotaur-like crew member. He touched him and felt new strength course through his vines. It was too much strength to hold onto for long. He could feel it threatening to rip him apart. Gomyar quickly swung his barbed arm. The pirate it hit flew and splashed into the ocean. He touched the bull again and the strength was returned.

"Where is Ironblood?!" he shouted. They could really use some powerful magic to get these pirates out of here.

 

[Falcon]

Ayanne Marshden, green

Carotid, jugular, axilla, stomach, hamstring, kidneys . . .
Places she might possibly be able to hit if she were lucky. Places that if hit right should slow down any attackers if not put them out of commission permanently. The question was could she do it. Fear still clouded her mind, but as Ayanne watched the Pirates cross the deck fighting and killing as they went, adrenalin began to set in, self-preservation overriding terror, forcing her to move her feet, to set away from the foremast. She was a healer not a fighter, but to heal those she cared about, who she had come to call friends over the last few days, she would have to survive. Taking a loose strap from her healer's pack she looped it through her belt to keep it secure. She knew it was entirely possible she could loose the thing, but if there was any chance of holding onto her tools, the remedies she had already prepared . . .

Ayanne's brain raced as she thought through the possibilities. Her hand shifted her belt as she reached for her knife, a knife she had never before used for anything other that the preparation and harvesting of the materials needed to create medicine. She was not a fighter, she had no training, she was not exceptionally strong. She would have to be fast then. Fast or smart. Hamstring and axilla. If she aimed for those any who came against her might think her swings were missing and fail to doge in time-

"Are you an idiot girl?" someone shouted at her. "You're not a fighter! Put the knife up and get out of the way! Get up in the rigging! We need you after the battle not during it!"

Ayanne started to do as she had been told, moving back to the mast she had just left, but as she looked up to where it had been recommended she hide, because there really was no other word for it than hide, she saw a man who had apparently had a similar idea. She watched for a second as he tested the ropes, she had no idea what any of it was called, and everything suddenly fell apart.

Knots came untied. Rigging ropes broke, snapped loose, whipping everywhere. A sail partially dropped to hang uselessly along the mast shaking everything around it, and the man was knocked free of his hold. He screamed as things snapped around him and suddenly stopped. What had been a footrope had caught him round the neck ,effectively hanging him from the yardarm.

Ayanne's eyes went wide and she dropped to her knees at the sight, just as an axe swooped through where her head had been to implant itself firmly in the foremast. With a cry she slammed her belt knife into the exposed side of the pirate holding the other end of that axe and ripped it free again, forcing her feet to carry her away as the pirate fell.

Through the chaos her eyes found Malachi, and she moved towards him. His was the only face around her she could make out that she actually knew. She wasn't worth much, but maybe she could do something to help. As she moved she scrubbed the tears from her cheek with the back of her hand. Tears for the dead, and those who soon would be.

 

[Desaecula]

--OZZIMUS--​

[spacer]Ozzimus felt the Silver Shadow quake. His hand found the crate behind him and The Pirate Captain steadied himself, shaking his head and slamming the butt of his sword upon the crate behind him. Shards of Wood flew in every direction. the screams of war. the howls of the Dying. With those sounds came the scent of carbon. deep and musty welling up from the Gun decks below. the yells of Volok to re-load the cannons and stand at ready. [/spacer]

A spat of Rope flapped against the deck of the Silver Shadow in-front of Ozzimus.

looking upwards to the starry night sky into the defunct mangling of clothe wood and rope between the two ships, Ozzimus spotted the girl, carving away at the mess that tangled them.

"One less job for MY crew." he chuckled, shaking his head again. Raising his hand to eye-level he gripped his fingers tightly in his glove. willing his essence to flow once-more. a Feral hunger grew in his throat. blood. he needed blood. The thirsting Nocturne inside of the half-breed demanded it. the expenditure of Mana had fluttered away at his mind. clarity was growing now, but he knew it would only be complete when he had tasted blood. between his fingers slithered his power. the slightest tailings of energy still left. he looked across the fighting. Seasoned pirates against seasoned navy men. A battle for the ages.

"bards..." He grinned, standing as staunch as he dare do so. "See this day recorded in history for the ages."
With a deep inhale of sea-air tainted freshly with blood and smoke Ozzimus began to stroll across the main deck of his ship towards the Sea Wraith.

 

[Tegan]

Kairos' voice echoed through Ash's being, soothing him. "Be at peace." In the Plane there was no Crux or Aux, only The One. "If you do not keep yourself in harmony, you will be lost here, a hungry ghost with no memory of Ash of the Heartwood." The stag tilted its massive head, from somewhere far off, there was a strange, metallic hum. "All answers have questions, child. It is Ilium's will that you find them. And, when the time comes..." The world around them shifted once more, became the inside of the Sea Wraith, inside some dark room. Ash found himself looking upon the half'kin girl with the pendulum Aux once more. But she was no longer a child.

She was staring directly at him with such concentration that Ash wondered if she too was on The Plane. But she was unaware of their presence, she stared through him, at something behind him.
"When the time comes, you must guide my Aux back to Ilium, undertaker."

+++​

They screamed above her. The people she had summoned for this task were dying on the decks above, bleeding into the ocean. They all knew the risks of moving the monolith, but no one expected this slaughter. It was all her fault and she was powerless to save them. How could she? She was no warrior, had never held a weapon. Her life had been one of peaceful study, specimens and extracts. Useless, all of it, to protect them. She was afraid—not of what was above, but of what was with her below. It was the eldritch face of the monolith that contained its corrupting magic—a mask carved from black volcanic glass. It was the mask they had brought aboard the Sea Wraith to take back to Edelon.

It was locked in a lead box, at the center of an arcane circle constructed by Kozoul, Gomyar and herself. The most powerful Viridosi magic, save from the Prophet himself, could barely contain its blight. Even from within the box, she could feel its evil stare, hear its quiet whispers in a language long forgotten. Better off forgotten. She could set it free and it would destroy those who dared attack her companions, obliterate them from this existence into a place of pain and darkness. Conversely, it could wait until they finished off the last of them above, find her below, rape her, murder her, and leave what was left to sink into the waves while they took the mask. Either way, it would get what it wanted. It had been trapped within the mask for time untold. What was a few more hours?

A cannonball crashed through one side of the hull, and out the other, the force of it knocked Ironblood on her back.

No, there would be no more killing from either side. No one else had to die on account of this monstrosity. She was a disciple of the Jade Prophet, a creature of the forest, and one of Ilium's children. She would not cause harm to another living being, she did not have the right. Only Ilium could judge their actions and no one else.

The alchemist's Aux hummed, rising in pitch as it triggered an Advent-- Orenda. She opened the lead box and removed the terrible mask. "Since you have learned to reach from your glass cage, I will put you in an iron one." Black tentacles reached out from it as she placed the mask over her face.

+++​

Ash was torn from the vision and back to screams and thunder, back to the courtyard in Edelon. The lemurs were gone, and there were people rushing past him, crazed with terror. It did not take him long to find the source of their horror.

One of the buildings near him had been crushed by a piece of giant rock, as if it were dropped from the sky. He had only managed to make out a small, childlike hand amongst the rubble before he was swept away by the fleeing mob. A useless endeavor, for the rocks were falling at random all over the city.

But they weren't rocks, Ash realized, not all of them. There were...Houses falling from the sky.

+++​

The Lady peered down at the black water from a splintered opening in the hull. Bodies, barrels and pieces of the damaged ships cluttered the water, making it even more difficult to swim. Worse so, Ironblood didn't even know how to swim. The half'kin had stripped down to her breeches and undershirt. The mask had been stowed in a leather pouch, which she fastened tight around her torso. Before she could talk herself out of it, Ironblood pinched her nose and jumped feet first into the drink, aiming for a larger piece of the hull floating beneath her.

She spluttered and scrabbled to grab hold of it while she searched, half blind from the smoke and fire, for the water fae. "Sprig!" Her own voice sounded raw and broken.

She caught sight of him in an unlikely place, not in the water, but huddled in a cabin above. She could see him through the gash in the hull. She thought it strange, but had no time to question it.

"Sprig! Help!"

Movement from the deck drew her gaze upward. Ironblood screamed as a piece of the rigging fell toward her like a flaming net. She released her hold on the floating debris and let herself sink into the darkness.

+++​

Webbed hands, gripped her arm, pulled her upward until her head was above the water line. "Ah' got ye', Miss!" Ironblood coughed up water, gasped, sobbed and clung to her savior's thin body.
"Oi! Ah can't swim when ye' 'uggin' me, ye' daft slag!"

They made their way around the Sea Wraith, the progress slow and awkward for Sprig had to keep Ironblood's head above the water. He had almost forgotten that her type didn't have gills. Eventually, he helped her to the other side of the Silver Shadow, where the smoke wasn't so thick. He left her clinging to the hull before diving under again.

"Back in a jiff, ma'am!"

Ironblood pressed herself against the hull as flat as she could to keep hidden. She kicked her legs to tread water, but she was unpracticed, exhausted herself in no time. She began to slip...

Something stirred under the water, before dozens of mole crabs scuttled up the side of the ship. Their barbed legs burrowed into the wood, giving her a sturdy hold to climb up.

Ironblood smiled and made a mental note to give Sprig a cartload of pennies.

+++​

A soaked, shivering Ironblood hauled herself up and onto the deck of the Silver Shadow, her bare feet had only just touched the planks before a dozen swords were drawn on her. The Lady held her hands up to show she was unarmed. She spoke through chattering teeth.

"I am Lady Ironblood, High Alchemist, and I demand parley with your captain."

 

[Requiem]

Requiem The Pirate, darkgreen

As the battle raged on, Malachi stood, not touched by either side. The Sea Wraith Crew knew him as an ally. The Silver Shadow crew knew him as a pirate. As long as he stayed out of the way, he wouldn't be in danger. He was however, conflicted. He wanted to help the pirates accomplish their goal. The navy crew were skilled, and beyond that, he couldn't risk all his work being for naught. The flipside was considerably more personal. He knew some of these people, and despite himself, he'd grown fond of some of their company. The innkeeper below that he'd had to guard, the drunken chef, even the damned hobbler. He didn't want to see anything happen to them.

It was as he mused on the best course of action that Ayanne approached him. He caught her struggling to make her way through the fight and then he decided. He would have to do both. Protect and fight. He pulled the wire from around his waist and waded in through the crowd. A wolf anima pirate made to attack her just as he arrived, and Malachi did the only thing he could do. He slipped the razor edged length of wire over the assailants head and gave a sharp pull, decapitating the man in one clean movement, blood spraying across his body as the corpse fell backwards towards him. He didn't stop, he simply stepped over the body, and took her by the wrist. There was no time for subtlety. He pulled her quickly to the place where he'd been observing from.

"Ayanne, I need you to listen to me very carefully. This is very important." He told her in a hushed voice. "As soon as I move, you need to make your way to the pirate ship. Tell them that Requiem said that if you were harmed in any way that they would all suffer for it in the blackest of ways. I am sorry for the deceit, but I am no Navy Man. We all have our masks." He spoke quickly, not giving her a chance to respond. If he did, there was a good chance he expected that she would react poorly. "I know you're afraid of what that thing down below will do to Viridos, but if you help do as I say, that thing's going to be shipped far away from here. Now listen, I don't want anything to happen to you. You'll be safe on the other ship. Be careful, and whatever you do, don't watch." This was an order. One that wouldn't matter too much in a moment.

After he finished, he moved away from her, back towards the fighting. "We have to disappear again." He informed his Aux who had been keeping hidden where no one could see her. A moment later, he felt the advent kick in. "Alright, one minute to deal as much damage as possible." He remarked to himself, readjusting his wire in his hands.

The following fifty seconds were a blur of flashing red blood, screams, and death. He counted each second as he twisted around the swords that the marines swung at him. At first they were confused, surprised, but then the ones closest to him began reacting, attacking him. A traitor in their midst was something that they couldn't afford. He'd had an opportunity to study the way that most of them moved though, and he took advantage of this. He directed his actions against them that he felt nothing for. His weapon confounded everyone that he faced which only made it easier to kill them. The wire was not rigid like a blade, but was strong enough to hold against a strike from one. In the end, he managed to kill roughly fifteen of the navy soldiers before he realised that his time was nearly up.

He broke free from the combat raging around him, and rushed the edge of the ship facing The Silver Shadow. He had to be sure that he was out of sight of all of the navy before his time ran out. If anyone was still looking at him when it did, they would be fully aware of his actions. He had to be out of sight.

Kicking off the ship's railing, Requiem leaped off the edge, diving into the water. Nobody saw him when the time ran out. Well, almost nobody. Ayanne's eyes were on him as he swam to The Silver Shadow and made his way up.

 

[Falcon]

Ayanne Marshden, green

Ayanne could feel her brain reeling in shock. He was a pirate, he wanted her on the other ship, they were going to take it . . . They were going to take it!
If she heard nothing else she had heard that. For a moment she wondered if it was right, if it would be counted as treason, a betrayal of everything she had ever been taught.
A moment later she knew she didn't care.
It boiled down to a choice between the bad and the evil. If she had to choose to do something bad to save her land from evil, would she?
The answer was clear, it was what needed to be done.
They were going to take it. Lives could be saved. In the end that was all that mattered.

Her feet propelled her forward away from Malachi as he began to do whatever horrible thing she knew he was about to do. She didn't look, just sheathed her knife and ran, tears still falling but following directions. She ducked under weapons and dodged around fighting parties, running for the plank that made a crossing between the two ships. Something slammed into her from the side sending her careening into the railing. She gasped, wind knocked out of her as she looked down at the water, spotting Malachi as he swam across. Well at least she knew he wasn't lying about that! Suddenly, rough hands grabbed her back.

"What are you doing, girl?" a rough voice asked in her ear as a hand clamped down over her mouth stifling her cries for help and yanking her away from the railing with a jerk on her head, "You're only wasting your own time. Care for a bit of fun before you die?" Another arm encircled her, pinning her arms to her torso and clamping her back against a broad chest.
"Oi!" an angry voice shouted, "Leave the 'ealer alone!" but Ayanne was not about to be rescued as the sailor in question was suddenly distracted by fighting for his own life against another pirate.
"Oh, a healer are we!" her captor chuckled. "I could do with some doctoring, if you know what I mean." With a muffled cry of rage she bit the hand over her mouth and it was jerked away with a curse.
"Iam you!" she roared struggling vainly to get out of his hold.
"That's exactly what I intend, provided the cap'n gives me enough time." He chuckled starting to drag her back, the way she had wanted to go actually, towards the the plank that led to the pirate ship.

It occurred to her then that he was a human male and all men have the same weakness. Ayanne swung her legs off the deck, using the momentum of the swing to aim a blow at his groin.
It connected.
She was dropped feet away from her goal . . .
. . . right at the feet of Captain Ozzimus himself.

As she tried to get up someone kicked her in the ribs forcing her back down to the deck. Her healer's bag landed beneath her and something crunched. A moment later she felt a boot heel pressed against her throat.
Ayanne managed only one word as her breath was suddenly cut off.
" . . . Requiem . . ."

 

[Jack Shade]

"Requiem..."

The bitch murmured it the moment before Ozzimus would have crushed her throat. But the name gave him pause. Scowling, he removed his foot and leaned down to where the girl was gasping, sputtering for the precious life she had almost lost.

"Are we begging for a memorial?" Ozzimus asked her, his voice eerily gentle, "Shall I mutter a prayer to dead gods for a dead bitch?"

"N-No!" She gasped, "I...Requiem, he said to come here...that I'd be...that I'd be safe." Croaking, she struggled to swing at the pirate, desperate clawing and kicking the only tactics she knewq. Ozzimus only scowled, rolling his eyes and grabbing her throat, smacking her head twice against the deck till Ayanne was too dazed to struggle.

"Captain!" Ozzimus turned from the girl to see Biscuit, gesturing wildly with his cutlass, "Lady Ironblood's climbed up the hull! She's boarded the Silver Shadow and Scratch is yellin Volok is protectin her! She's callin for parley, she is."

The captain's sigh was lost in the tumult of steelsong and he turned back to his ship, dragging Ayanne by her throat and tossing her to a surprised Biscuit. "I'll handle it. See the wench is thrown into the brig. No one is to touch her save Malachai." A smile touched his lips, "Our infiltrating friend has made his claim of the Wraith's plunder...and by the sea, I'll honor it."





A few minutes earlier.


"Parley?" The first to speak was a leering anima, dog-face slavering as his rapier point menaced Ironwood, "Look what we have here, boys...not often the plunder finds its way to our decks so willingly." He stepped through the crowd of them looking up at Lady Ironblood with one good eye, the other a mess of white cataract. "I think I'll have first go at her."

"Nay!" A Nocturne spat, bringing his cutlass to tickle the back of the anima's neck, "You make a mess of women. Let me feed on her first."

Lady Ironblood stood resolute, turmoil and something more roiling within her. To break now on such unfamiliar ground would be the end of her. She could feel the pressure of the Sea Wraith's souls on her shoulders, more...she could feel the weight of her past clawing at her guts. "Parley," She repeated firmly, her voice the clash of steel against the groaning timbers of joined ships, "For the lives of the Sea Wraith."

"You're in no position to make demands, half-kin," The Nocturne spat, stepping beside the grinning anima, "This isn't the court of your precious Edelon. No one on the sea but dead gods and drowned souls."

Striding forward the Nocturne was fast, frighteningly so, catching Lady Ironblood's wrist in pale fingers and pulling her against him. Rearing, his teeth flashed, but before he could sink them into her skin, someone tore him away. The Nocturne flailed, so close to the railing and then pitched over into the sea.

The pirates turned as one to look upon Volok, the massive draken and master of arms on the Silver Shadow. Behind him, his shark aux snapped at the anima, frightening the dog back to his comrades. The draken snarled and brandished his own notched battle-axe, "Parley is for the captain to hear. None of you will touch the High Alchemist till she makes her offer."

"Mutiny?" the anima questioned, turning to his men, "You all saw! He sent Dirk over the rail!"

"I'll send the rest of ya just as quickly," Volok promised, "Captain makes the calls on this boat. If you object, speak to him yerself." Swinging his axe into the deck of the Silver Shadow, Volok pounded once on his chest. "The man who passes this axe goes over." His gaze found the anima, "Will you be the second to swim?" Below them, Dirk screamed as a fen shark finally made good on its 'reasons' and dragged the struggling pirate beneath the inky water. He did not come up again.

"CAPTAIN!" The Anima squealed, falling back on his ass and scooting along the deck, "Mutiny Captain! Volok's gone mad!"

The draken paid no heed, turning to transfix one unblinking eye on the alchemist. "Mad bitch," he rumbled, "Harder to keep your skin intact when you crawl into a viper's den."

She didn't have time to question him. The rest of the pirates on the ship parted as Ozzimus strode between them. The captain cut an impressive gait with his tailored clothes and pale skin, but it was hard not to note the shadows that dragged beneath his eyes, the whistle of breath between his sharp teeth. The Illusion had cut the fight out of Ozzimus almost entirely, but it never took much fight to execute an unarmed intruder. "Volok," Ozzimus purred, "Stand aside. This is a discussion between captains."

"She's no captain." Volok answered gravely.

"No?" Ozzimus asked, raising an eyebrow, "Then by what right does she parlay? No. I think she will be acting captain for the noble Sea Wraith...that old bitch could not ask better representation."

There was a moment when Volok didn't move, the moment where Ozzimus almost smirked before Volok relented. The captain would kill them both if he stood between them, and he would have to trust the Lady Ironwood could care for herself. Stepping aside, Volok bent a short bow. "She is yours, Captain. We have all but taken the Sea Wraith."

"See to the guns, Volok," the captain bade him, "See that they are loaded and aimed below the Wraith's waterline. I expect I'm about to engage in a fairly profitable discussion...that or the Sea Wraith's amusing imitation of a stone. The rest of you...pull the men back and call a ceasefire. Then untangle the masts and see we are ready to sail"

"Captain," The anima sputtered, "The Rudder, she's-" Turning on his heel, Ozzimus brought his fist back and sent it crashing into his jaw, dropping the dog yowling to the floor.

"I said ready to sail," the captain murmured, looking down at the anima, "Scratch, if we are not ready to sail when my business is concluded, I will transfix your body to the mast as my new figurehead." Scratch whined, a tiny sound in the back of his vicious throat before scrambling away with the rest of the crew.

"What a loyal crew," Ironwood said calmly, resisting the urge to spit at him "Now, shall we parley?"

Ozzimus watched the retreating Scratch with a faint smile on his face, "You know," he turned to her, shaking his head, "I can't decide whether I'm serious or not." A laugh, and then he gestured toward the captain's quarters, "Shall we abscond to my chambers and discuss the terms of your surrender?"

 

[Saphen]

Ash of the Heartwood

Peace? They thought as the world spun around, how could there be peace with all this screaming?

FFFFzzzzt
​

The sharp buzzing sound caused them to cover their ears and shut their eyes to block out the noise. But the shriek vanished just as quickly as it came. They opened their eyes to a woman standing before them deep in the belly of a ship. She stared with such concentration that no mortal could break it. She seemed familiar to him but her gaze did not return the recognition, she was looking past them. They turned their head to see what she was staring at but the very fabric of reality tore away the answer.

FFFFzzzzt
​

They winced at the noise but forced themselves to watch as the veil of this realm was torn apart. Cracks forming in the sky, on the ship, and in the ocean. The astral plane was falling apart, the heavens crashing into the ocean causing thunderous tidal waves that turned to dust before they could reach their zenith. Parts of the ship flying off and vanishing from sight, another world was visible through these openings and they could see people running and screaming inside them.

FFFFzzzzt
​

Ash found himself quickly turning his gaze back to the woman, he saw her face for a brief moment before it was shattered by a mob of creatures. Man, woman, kin, avian, all walks of life washed over him where ocean once was. The crowd slammed into him, causing him to stagger before he realized where he was. He looked up to see a building demolished by some type of massive stone but then he looked closer. It wasn't a stone at all that had crushed the once proud structure.

"A Home?" Ash said aloud but no one could hear him amidst the chaos. He saw a tiny hand peeking out from the ruble, a new life cut short in an instant. Run! cried Cora in his mind as he pushed off the nearest person to break away from the tide. Galloping with all his strength through the river of creatures, darting back and forth, avoiding some people while crashing into others. Instinct told him to run away, far away from here where he could be safe. But duty told him that there was only one thing he should be doing right now.

"We can't leave the child!" shouted Ash once he broke free from the waves of frightened people, but before he could even look for the best route to take a massive shadow covered the ground.

Looking up he saw a large roof plummeting from the sky, gritting his teeth he dashed forward trying to out pace it. A female human stood before him, her entire body frozen in fear. She screamed suddenly as Ash scooped her up in his arms without breaking his stride. The roof touched down behind them, splintering apart as shards of wood hit his back, grunting in pain he pressed on. The edge of the roof had hit first and even though it was sliding away from them the other end intended to flatten them. The world was getting darker and the woman flailed and screamed in his arms, it was the end and she knew it. Closing her eyes she shouted at the top of her lungs and felt a sudden gush of wind as Ash jumped forward. The undertaker closed his eyes as well, flying through the air as he wrapped the woman in his arms.

They slammed into the floor, rolling together until their momentum was finally stopped by a group of bushes. They looked up together to see the roof shattered on the ground in front of them. The woman suddenly flung her arms around him crying in happiness, clinging to the only thing that felt real to her in that moment. Ash pushed the woman away gently "Today is not the day you get to know me," he said plainly before turning away from her to look for the child...this day belonged to them.

 

[Tegan]

The captain's cabin was the absolute last place Ironblood wanted to be. Anywhere alone with this man with four walls and a lock on the door made her stomach clench with worry. However, despite her little stunt on deck and her bold facade, she knew that her demands were very limited. She would have to choose them carefully. At least it was warmer in here.

The half'turne captain flopped into the chair behind his desk, propping his feet upon the oak surface. He gestured to the chair across from him.

"Sit."

Ironblood covered herself with her arms. "I prefer to stand."

"My lady," Ozzimus sighed, but continued patiently, as if speaking to a child. "If I decide that you are of more use to me dead, it will not matter if you are sitting or standing. Sit." He waited for her to sit, obviously amused by her stiff, proper posture. Absently, he drew a flask from one of the drawers, holding it to her in offering. "Drink." As a Cinnabar Clad she must abstain from alcohol, but it wasn't a request. In an unpracticed motion, Ironblood brought the flask to her lips, tilted back. She coughed and sputtered instantly, not from the bitter poison in the drink, but from the burn of the drink itself. Ozzimus grinned, showing his fangs."The rumors about you are true. Though I'd wager you're not immune to a knife to that pretty little throat."

The half'kin cleared her throat, set the flask down on the desk between them."Yes, Captain, I assure you that I am quite easy to kill. Now, the terms of our armistice."

"Surrender."

"Armistice."

"Surrender~"

"Armistice—"
"Is there an echo in here?"

Ironblood's temper flared, but she reigned it in. "I won't play coy with you, Captain—"

"—Oh, couldn't you, just a little?"

"—I know why you have attacked us. What you seek."

That got his attention, or shut him up at the very least. Ironblood continued before he thought of anything else witty to say. "It is yours, provided you allow the crew of my expedition and the Sea Wraith to leave with their lives. Both sides have suffered massive damages. We'll both be lucky to sail back to port as it is. Why let this bloodshed continue if you have what you came for?"

Ozzimus considered her offer, but drew the silence out longer than was necessary. He wanted to see if he could make this frigid little alchemist squirm. "And you're willing to just give me this monolith, then? At cost of your own nation? Beg pardon, Lady, but something smells fishy."

Ironblood shrugged, meeting his grin with her own. "That's probably just our hobbler affixing vails of Fisherman's Bane to the underside of your ship. Just a little insurance that you won't go back on your word to part peacefully." It was a bluff, of course. She had not had the time to do such a thing, but he had no way of knowing, and it was well within her ability. She was banking on her reputation preceding her.

"Is the Lady Ironbox making a joke?" There was an edge to his voice, danger.

"Am I laughing, Captain?"

The pirate captain laughed. "You've got big balls for a woman, I'll give you that."

"I could say the same of you, Captain." Was her only reply. She awaited his response.

 

[Desaecula]

--OZZIMUS-- ​

"Well unfortunately, The captain of this vessel does not have the time to show you JUST how big they are." to the side of the cabin a bit. his hood more against one side of his face now

"Wisdom whispersilk." he said, nodding and meeting eyes with Ironblood oncemore. In his boots his toes curled and unfurled in contemplation. He pulled a glass from out of a desk and pushed it across the dark wooden surface towards her. his feet planted on the ground once more he bent forward and looked into the glass refraction without emotion before looking at the curve of Ironbloods hip, letting his gaze drift upwards

"There are three ships Docked In Hosia. Whose Papers belong to myself." He began. "The 'Secundus' Headed by Captain Belltower, a surly young Avian orphaned at the docks when he was a babe." he smiled a little there. Genuine smile. As a sad memory made one smile. "the Storm-alley captained by Jax Geth, a Hissian. Both ships are fishing boats. sturdy. well taken care of. Then there is the larger Merchant vessel 'Calvera' whose captain was relieved upon a grievous injury on his last Run back from kaustir..." He pulled a small knife in a wooden sheath and placed it beside the glass.

"For a full glass of your blood, High Alchemist Lady Ironblood... These ships and their crew belong to you... For the monolith… the lives of whatever crew have survived My deceptions and cannon fire are saved. That is my offer."

He leaned menacingly forward in his chair. shadows dancing in every corner of the room as he lamps flickered

"my.. ONLY offer..."

 

[Seth Bloodmoon]

Things were looking dire on the deck of the Sea Wraith. Men on both sides were dying, but Valyrin's crew was definitely suffering the most casualties. So many dead. So many injured. Blood stained the deck of his ship and in some places was making footing precarious. Still, his men fought on. Some might have broke and tried to find a place to hide, but the majority of those still standing were ready to fight to the bitter end.

Valyrin rallied many of those still standing, on deck, to his position on the quarter deck, most of the pirates that drew too close to them were savagely cut down. The pods containing the poisoned spores were now being thrown on the Sea Wraith itself, when there was little risk of her crew being caught in them. It was all done in an effort to try and force a stand still. While it wasn't exactly succeeding in doing so, it was making the damned pirates wary of trying to push his position. Even that big bastard of a Draconic, with the two axes, that had been the first to board seemed hesitant to do so.

At one point Valyrin caught sight of Lady Ironblood on the deck of the Silver Shadow. When and how had she managed to get over there? What the hell was she doing? There was no way he could offer her support over there. She was on her own, may Ilium be with her. His attention swiftly returned to the unabated carnage taking place on the deck of his own ship.

In that moment Rhys had locked blades with a scarred human that had dared rush them along with couple other pirates. None of the bastards were worth a moment of honorable combat. After all, the cowards had attacked from the guise of an illusion. Thus, Valyrin dropped down to one knee beside Rhys and thrust his blade upwards into the pirate's abdomen. The cold steel finding its way up into various vital organs. As he pulled his blade free and rose back to a standing position, his friend proceeded to kick the dying human away. In the meantime, other members of his crew had dispatched the others. Though it had not come without a cost, another member of the Sea Wraith's crew would never see tomorrow.

The vicious, bloody battle waged for what seemed an eternity, up until the moment a sudden call for a ceasefire and withdrawal came from the deck of the Silver Shadow. This was a troublesome moment in Valyrin's mind. Did it mean they had what they wanted and were about to unleash another salvo of cannon fire to send the Sea Wraith into the depths of the Prosperos? Was Lady Ironblood their target all along? They had called a ceasefire.., but did that mean anything coming from their sort?

The urge to push forward and slaughter those retreating from the deck of his ship was shoved aside. That would surely lead to another broadside that the Sea Wraith couldn't afford to take. How that irked him. Begrudgingly he shouted, "Stand down, but stay wary!"

The groans and cries of the wounded filled the air as the sound of combat faded. The crew of the Sea Wraith did nothing to hinder the withdrawal of the pirates. However, if they left any of their wounded behind, well... accidents happened and Valyrin wouldn't lift a damned finger to prevent them. In fact, he silently encouraged it.

"Sweep the ship, tend to the wounded!" the captain calling out that order the moment the last pirate was off the deck. Rhys moved to organize the sailors still standing to deal with the task as Valyrin moved back up to the helm only to find the helmsman to be one of the casualties. With a heavy heart he knelt beside the fallen man and murmured, "Be at peace and walk with Ilium, my friend..," extending a hand to close the man's eyes.

Rising, he then turned his attention to the Silver Shadow, watching it for any sign of further hostility. He expected it. When Zephyr landed on the railing near the ship's wheel, he didn't even seem to notice. After an extended silence the Aux spoke in somber, "You did what you could..."

A slight shake of the half-Kin's head was given, his expression growing unreadable, "It was not enough..," the only response he offered up. Now it was a waiting game with the enemy holding the advantage. He wanted to slaughter every last one of the Silver Wind's crew. Yet he couldn't do so. The need to keep the rest of his crew, and the members of the expedition, alive outweighed that hunger. So he would wait.

 

[Quiet One]

Gomyar walked about, looking after the wounded. He could do nothing to heal them, nothing short of the quick medicine treatments anyone else on the ship could do, but he walked about none the less, finding ones who needed more than a mere bandage. Ayanne could take care of them better than he could.

In truth he counted himself among the wounded. He hadn't fought for very long before he was felled. One of his rooted legs hurt something awful, and had a bad gash, but it didn't look fatal. Mostly looking after the wounded was an excuse for him to recollect his vials. Before the cease-fire he had given up using his barbs as weapons and instead threw the vials he had filled with forest poisons at the pirates. The ones who caught the toxins died in a matter of minutes. Yet another thing he could thank the voice for.

He couldn't help wondering what had caused the fighting to stop. Obviously it was Lady Ironblood; everyone's attention went to her as the cannons became quiet. What deal was she striking? What was she planning? He thought about the Monolith, about that damned rock that had brought all this trouble to them. Would she just give it to them? That was what they were after, wasn't it? And why if it was? Gomyar himself was more comfortable being as far away from that evil thing as possible. Who in their right mind would steal it?

 

[Bahiyya]

Sevoret Umilas

A pirate had rushed at her from behind. Sevoret was the unknowing. She was too busy trying to focus on the pirate in front of her. This pirate was a fox anima, like the co-chef that she had seen maybe once or twice. Except this anima had black fur. His fur, it seemed, was rugged. His stomach was covered in white fur, Sevoret caught the blood stains in the white tufts. The fox anima was snarling, his outstretched hand holding a sword at Sevoret. When the fox hand seen the human pirate sneaking up behind her, he all but put up an evil smile, beginning to back Sevoret away and toward his fellow pirate mate.

The one from behind wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling Sevoret back into his chest, causing her to drop her bow and her container of arrows. Sevoret struggled harder and harder, however this only caused the pirate's sword to dig into the skin on her right shoulder. She winced, reducing her resistance.

"Ye a lil' fightin' wench, are ye?" the pirate said into her ear. Sevoret angles her head away from him as the fox anima walks forward.

"Aye, crew brother. Sh' a lil' warrior, come to play," the fox said, using his sword to flick her hair over her shoulder. Sevoret grunted, disgusted at their being so close. She was easing her hand down to her thigh, trying to take hold of the dagger strapped to her left thigh.

"Unhand me," Sevoret said calmly.

"Oh, so sh' makin' orders now, ain't sh'?" the human pirate said, a laugh laced in his voice. By this time, Sevoret had grabbed hold of the dagger, sliding it out of its sheath.

"Sh' ought not be. Hasn't the grounds," the fox replied.

"Suit yourselves, the lot of you," Sevoret said, just before she plunged the dagger into the stomach of pirate behind her. Then, she quickly drew out the other dagger, impaling the fox in the heart. The two pirates dropped to the ground, the fox dead, the other in pain.

The bloody battle was over. It was what felt like hours, to Sevoret at least, that she had to defend herself until the pirates--those who were not dead or severely injured--began to retreat. Sevoret wondered just what could have made them retreat, but the Captain Valyrin gave the order to allow them to make leave, however stay wary. Sevoret was glad for the cease of the fight, and stood still as the pirates headed back to their ship.

Sevoret jerked her daggers from the bodies she had only just struck, sheathing them. She picked up her bow and the container of arrows, walking forward a little to distance herself from the slowly dying pirate and the already dead fox. She looked around, her demeanor looking sorrowful. She had earned a few cuts, scrapes, and bruises, but others were less fortunate.

"Your mercy is much appreciated, my Ilium. But now, your healing is a necessity," Sevoret whispered.

Indeed, Nahsahr said amongst the mind of the Crux.