darkSpyro

Ilasi gave a slight nod in approval. "Yes, good idea then..." She was rather impatient, and wasn't really sure that waiting would help - but they could at least make the most of it. "Well, then, it seems you're going to be here a while, then. Would you like something to drink while you wait?" Regardless of how things turned out, Ilasi was nothing short of gratified by today's events. If tomorrow went half as well, it would still be a wonderful day.

"Some grape juice would be nice..." Maverick said, although he remembered his hunger from earlier and realized he could use some solid food. Still, he didn't think it would be polite of his part to ask her for something he could get himself. He decided to just wait for her to be done with him and then get the food himself. As he waited for the juice, the rest of his body didn't glow. However, the shine from the illuminated patches of his body intensified. He wondered if it was a side effect, Ilasi's particular magic or something else...

As usual, Shade managed to make Angora slightly better. It was quite an irony how terrified she was of a human when she felt right at home with a large and powerful dragon. She remained behind his elbow, trying to force herself to sleep. She wished Maverick was there as well, but she figured he was still with Ilasi. In other times, she would've prevented such interaction, but now that things have mellowed down, she was going to leave the two if them alone.

As Latnok, Angora, Shade, and others began to settle down-- so too did Raclaw and Chester. It wasn't long until they had made to their room and passed out in one of the larger fur dragon sized bed. The fluffy dragon had 'fought' a large sea beast via his own shock collar, had returned to dock, and found his beloved Latnok-- only to have willingly (although Damon could've easily done otherwise) allowed himself to be mentally probed via his own mental abilities. Whatever secrets he had were laid baren and left for the confused hurt conflicted Latnok to process. He had told to Damon 'not to leave anything out' and the collar entity didn't fail him; he had the 'pleasure' of forcefully reliving all of his memories from hatchling stage and beyond. As he hit the sack-- it didn't long for his tired exhausted eyes to close alongside the little Chester, who had cuddled up against him once again. Risar hit the sack after preparing the skeleton crew; the large minotaur wondered what had happened on the island and what had/hadn't been resolved between Raclaw and Latnok. Those questions could wake 'till later, however.

Hours passed and the sun began to shine through the duo's window-- early morning having come to pass. Risar was up, having already given the prisoners their tasks for the day. The ship still had some minor repairs leftover and some of the more trustworthy prisoners were perfect for the task at hand. Meanwhile, Raclaw was still sound asleep having been quite exhausted from the previous day. The little Chester was just getting up, but found himself trapped between the fur dragon's paws like some kind of living stuffed animal. He didn't mind and in fact-- he quite liked the close proximity to his fluffy friend and 'owner' after a fashion. Most considered him to be Raclaw's, just as Raclaw was considered to be Latnok's. He didn't know exactly what had gone between Raclaw and Latnok, but he was glad that there was at least hope between the two. He could be a great comfort to the two, but wished he could more to help when it came to the numerous mental issues that occured as part of being and/or knowing a telepathic fur dragon. The little Beagle was fortunate enough to be spared from those dealings, but he could see how much it pained his dear friend at times.

As the sun made its way into Latnok's cabin, he slowly began to wake up. He wasn't up as early as he usually was - part of it was, no doubt, because of his exhaustion, but perhaps there was more to it than that.
Getting out of bed, he donned his armor as he typically did every morning, before grabbing his gear - including the newly fashioned spear. Where did he get it from? He couldn't recall - but he knew it was his. That wasn't his concern at the moment, however - and even if it was, he would probably not be able to find the answer.
Strolling out onto the main deck, Latnok observed the prisoners at work - and Leoquin turning in for the night, after debriefing Sere on the happenings of the night. "Good morning, Latnok!" Leoquin said, as cheerfully as he could muster despite his drowsiness, determined to give the captain's right-hand man as warm an environment as possible to return to.
Latnok didn't know how to respond - what did Leoquin really think of him? He knew what he invoked in Angora and Raclaw - if even his best friend associated him with fear, what of his subordinates?
"...good morning," Latnok said, trying to rush by as quickly as possible. Leoquin looked back - being able to identify Latnok's bad mood, but attributing it to whatever hardship he faced that made him disappear. Latnok did not need to talk to Sere immediately - there was going to be an announcement before long, and he would speak then. Instead, he headed to an isolated part of the deck, looking out into the water.
What would he do? For now, he would just practice. More power, more knowledge, more training, more skill... that always came in handy.

Angora was still sleeping, having managed to somehow make her way below Shade's chin in her restless night, now being the one who somewhat acting like a pillow for him. Maverick on the other hand,mad a very pleasant night. After Ilasi got him the juice, he soon retired from her room, Dahlia giving him quite the fright. She was standing at Ilasi's door waiting for him, having grown tired of being ignored above deck. She had been startled by his glowing appearance, it soon didn't mattered to her, knowing he was still her human. That night, after wishing Ilasi good night, he went to check Angora, who had already fallen asleep. She bid goodnight to Shade and slept with Dahlia on her enclosure. He was a bit flustered by his ridiculous appearance when he look himself in the mirror, but afterwards didn't make a big deal out of it.

That morning, Maverick awoke late, being no sun to shine on him on that space. Despite sleeping late, he still woke up before Angora. He gave Dahlia some oats, took a nice, long bath, groomed himself and got ready for breakfast. The glow still persisted, but it wasn't as shiny as yesterday, and the morning sun made it barely noticeable. He did however, made sure he navigated the dark hallways while they were empty, not wanting to be ridiculed or asked questions. He made a hearty breakfast for himself, preparing something for Angora and Shade and leaving it in front of them so that when they woke up,they would have their meal ready. He searched for Ilasi to ask her if she wanted something specific. He wasn't in the mood to cook for the entire crew, but was willing to cook a delicious breakfast for her...

After some time-- Raclaw would gently awake, having understandably slept in longer than usual. Chester had opted not to wake up his fur dragon friend; instead allowing him to sleep in a little longer and to wake up in his own time. "Morning sleepyhead.," Chester barked trying to cheer Raclaw up as he noticed his eyes starting to open. The little Beagle offered a sloppy greeting in the form of a tongue link before squeezing himself out of bed. "Morning-- I see you let me sleep in.," Raclaw responded in kind noticing the higher sun. Perhaps an hour had passed, maybe slightly less. "It looked like you needed it after last night. You and Latnok-- whatever you did must have really drained you.," Chester said having observed the fur dragon during the 'experience.' "Yeah-- being mind probed by your own powers will do that to you. Come on, we should head up to the main deck.," Raclaw said motioning for Chester to follow. The four legged friend followed as Raclaw opened the door and they soon headed up.

As Raclaw and Chester stepped onto the main deck-- the fur dragon soon sensed his beloved Guardian, pleased to find that Latnok was still on the ship. He decided not to approach Latnok, at least not immediately and not directly. Latnok had a lot to think about and appeared to practising, likely as a attempt to distract himself. He noted the new spear and wondered just how Latnok had gotten ahold of it-- had he made it? Did whoever or whatever had taken him give to him? And for what purpose? Instead of directly walking up the Guardian, he found a semi-isolated spot to look out onto the ocean. Perhaps he would go swimming if Latnok wasn't interesting in dealing with him today. Afterall, he could use the practice and it might help with the aftereffects of the burns. He noted the presence of Leoquin, Risar, and others-- but didn't directly approach anyone.

As Latnok practiced various techniques - including various striking methods with the spear and various magic spells - he noted the presence of Raclaw. Still being unsure of how to approach the fur dragon, he stayed his course.
Casting spells, he noticed something - the spear helped channel magic, much like a staff. In essence, a dual-purpose weapon. That likely meant that whatever creature the spear was fashioned from was magical.

Ilasi, after staying up a bit later than she had planned, woke up. Almost immediately after she had finished preparing for the day, however, she heard a bell - it was Sere. He had an announcement to make.

Having rung the bell, Sere stood up at the usual meeting place, waiting for crew members - those who didn't just finish the night shift, anyway - to arrive. As he did, Latnok came to his side, with much murmuring in the crew after seeing him. When Sere felt that enough of the crew was present and attentive, he began his announcement.
"Good morning, sailors! As you have noticed, Latnok has returned to us. We still do not know the circumstances of his disappearance - his memory was not fully intact, and based on the circumstances of us finding him, he ended up somewhere he certainly did not reach himself. Because of that, I would highly advise against going anywhere on the island by yourself. Besides that, Latnok has his own announcement to make."
Sere, stepping aside, handed the floor to Latnok. The younger Guardian didn't hesitate to begin speaking. "Greetings, sailors. Yes, I'm back. I don't know what happened to me, but here I am. What I do know - I got this somehow," he said, motioning the spear to indicate what he was talking about. "There was plenty of combat - though I don't know what against. I feel almost like I was undergoing some sort of training... and I remember all of the details of the battle you underwent. I wasn't there - but I could tell you every detail of the fight. I don't know how I know."
Latnok paused to ready for another announcement - something a bit different. "Besides that, I will be relinquishing my leadership responsibilities - at least for the time being. I might still ask you to do something every now and then - probably not, but maybe. But you will be deferring to Risar for all of the duties I previously performed in that regard. I trust there won't be any issue with this. Thank you."
With Latnok done speaking, Sere stepped back up. "That is all. You are dismissed. Risar will assign you duties, if you are not scheduled to be off-duty. Have a good day, men." With that, the crew began dispersing, talking amongst themselves about the recent occurrences.

The sounding of the bell woke Angora. Hearing both Guardians speak wasn't a pleasant morning call. She heard their announcement with an expressionless face, immediately starting to eat as soon as she noticed the elegant meal that was set besides her, no doubt Maverick's work. She had her meal in peace, wanting to stay as far away from Latnok as she could, even though she knew he and practically every crew member avoided her and Shade due to their magic draining infection. The last time she saw him, it was him learning about the terrible fear she felt for him. But what did it really mean to him really? Was he happy that she was afraid of him? Was that his objective all along? Was he happy that he had made her into a submissive puddle of misery whenever he was around her? Angora honestly didn't know what he thought, but she was certain that Latnok now knew that it was fear and not hatred what she had for him, even though she had every reason to hate him as well after all the pain he had caused her.

Maverick heard the bell and announcement as well, and listened carefully. Sounded like Latnok had a little adventure on his own while they were battling the White Shadow and got amnesia along the way, courtesy of the beings that abducted him he assumed. Ilasi wasn't on the main deck yet, so as he waited for her, he proceeded to do a few manual chores while he waited for her. As he did, he spotted Rackaw, but decided to leave him alone for the time being, believing he indeed had much to resolve with Latnok.

OOC: She's already awake and eating

Angora enjoyed her meal without interruptions, although being very close to Shade, she could feel his tension.
"Something wrong Shady?" she asked, feeling rather uneasy herself, and doubting it was because of Latnok alone. The hexphage was returning, but it was growing at a slow pace, most likely due to the toll each antidote shot was having.

By now, Shade's power surges weren't so discrete. Now Angora was really starting to get worried.
"Come on Shady! Don't do this to me! We've been through this! Please!" Angora begged, knowing this will look awful in Sere's eyes. Shade's power seemed to be getting out of control again, and it seemed like the hexphage wasn't enough to fully neutralize them. With heartache, she did as Shade told her and went to the Godfather.

Having seen the direction he went, it didn't take long for Angora to find him, but she was still terribly fearful of him, and Latnok was near him, making this worse for her. Trembling severely, she approached the two.
"Captain... I... I think you need to help... Shade. He's acting... restless..." she said, avoiding eye contact and shaking like a horrified chihuahua. With the way she had her head, it almost looked like she was waiting for a slap or a punch from their part, and now with Shade's situation arising again, she really believed the Guardians will punish her and be cruel to her all over again.

"...restless?" Sere asked. "Don't tell me... Okay. I'll have Latnok see what he can do," he said. Sere gave Latnok a look, and Latnok nodded, not having to be told twice. Instead of the urgency he would usually have, however, he moved at a pace which suggested disinterest in the whole matter, completely ignoring Angora and her reaction.
It wasn't hard for Latnok to find Shade, with his large size and his twitching. "Collar, suppress," he called, as the collar began siphoning the excess power.

Ilasi came on deck soon enough. She looked around for anyone of interest - but everyone she could immediately see seemed to be busy. She would immediately begin her water preparation; it was, in fact, something she found quite satisfying.

Angora immediately left the premises, wanting to see what Latnok would do to Shade. But as she remained nearby, Maverick was helping with the ship, not missing the scene from the distance. Shade seemed to be in pain, but Latnok was there, and he hoped he could have everything under control. Just as he continued to work, he spotted Ilasi.
"Good morning." he greeted politely once she got to her station, looking like she slept very well
"Hey, just so you know, don't feel bad about the spell. It was probably me. I'm half fawn you know. Perhaps the spell doesn't work well with hybrids." he then expressed, having spent part of the night thinking on what he could say to Ilasi to prevent her from feeling bad about his body not glowing entirely as the spell intended.

Ilasi gave Maverick a half-hearted smile, trying to accept what he was saying, but at the same time, not sure that she didn't screw something up with the spell. "Thank you," she said, grateful that he was at least trying to help her feel better about it.
"Besides all of that... how has your day been? I might've slept through the meeting..." Ilasi recalled that she could faintly hear Latnok's voice, and thought she caught a glimpse of him. "You know, I would have expected Latnok to come find me - if he is back, like I think he is - but he didn't seem to bother. I wonder what happened to him. Did he tell us?"

"He seems to have forgotten what happened to him. Amnesia it seems. He has relieved his duties for a while until he feels better. I guess all he needs is time." Maverick explained, proceeding to answer her first question.
"Been doing well myself. A little worried about señor Latnok, but I'll give him his space. Slept at Dahlia's enclosure." he said, realizing how fond the dirt buffalo became of petting. As he spoke to Ilasi, he gave ocassional glances at Shade and Latnok, a little uneasy about what may be happening there. Angora was with the dragolet earlier, but now, she was nowhere to be seen...

Latnok gave Shade's question a thought. Blood moon... power and evil...
"It sounds somewhat similar to lycanthropy. Tell me - how do you feel about silver? Any sort of vulnerability or aversion to it?" Latnok could, of course, test out the theory himself with a silver weapon, but would much prefer that things wouldn't have to go that far.

"Dahlia - you're really lucky you met her," Ilasi said. "A companion who cares about you so much... it would seem that that's not something that's too common on this ship." Ilasi's glance followed Maverick's - not quite sure what the deal with Latnok or Shade would be, but not particularly concerned.

Angora was hidden from view from Maverick, Ilasi and the rest of the crew, but she was keeping a close eye on Shade hidden behind one of the barrels. She was listening to everything. Why was this the first time she has heard about that legend? Why did Shade never told her or Maverick about that? Was that really the reason why he was becoming so destructive lately? Waiting for Shade to be distracted by Latnok's conversation, Angora slipped away from her position, continuing to hide between the barrels and hidden from view from everyone. She waited until the coast was clear to run from the side of the ship and dropped from the side, using some magic to avoid making a big splash. She would've used the gangplank, but she didn't want anyone to see her.

In the water, Angora swam to the island, using the darkness as her cover. She waited to be near the trees and then started to talk telepathically. Not knowing where to aim, she tried to focus on her nearest surroundings.
"Listen you, I don't know who you are, or why did you even wanted me in the first place. I don't know if you're angry at me for telling the Gofather about you, but that's not important anymore. My friend Shade... he needs help. Please, tell me if there's something I can do! Or if there's something you can do..." Angora begged, not knowing who else to turn to. Whoever was the creature contacting her earlier was clearly powerful enough to avoid detection from the Ardent Guardian magic, so she firmly believed that he would be able to help, and that it was listening to her at that very moment. Sere had forbade the crew from going to the island alone, but she was that desperate. She feared that if the mysterious stranger did indeed help, there would be a price to pay, but she was willing to give almost anything if it meant helping her friend and keep the others safe.

Quote: A Guy

"Dahlia - you're really lucky you met her," Ilasi said. "A companion who cares about you so much... it would seem that that's not something that's too common on this ship." Ilasi's glance followed Maverick's - not quite sure what the deal with Latnok or Shade would be, but not particularly concerned.

Maverick stopped looking at Latnok and Sere when he noticed Ilasi trying to see what he was glancing, not wanting to make her uneasy too.
"Well, Dahlia is quite the companion. But then again, Chester is a dog, and he's also very loyal. Not sure about you Ilasi, but I think animals tend to be more loyal. Interesting though, since I forcefully tamed Dahlia when she was injured. It wasn't very fair or sporty of me, but I needed her help back then. I gave her the choice to be free again, but she didn't want to. She is an awesome girl for sure. And she really likes you. You should spend more time with her. I know she'll enjoy the petting." Maverick suggested, having seen how much the dirt buffalo cares for her, to the point Dahlia even became angry at him for the first time when he made Ilasi feel bad.

"Of course..." Latnok said sarcastically, thinking about the predicament for a moment. Soon, an idea came to mind.
"Ilasi can probably help you breathe underwater. We will find an underwater cavern, leave you there, then wait awhile before picking you up. You would not be able to leave without drowning. Sound simple enough? The alternative is that I have the collar kill you right now - I'm not going to have others die for your sake again." Latnok was past the limit of his tolerance for Shade's constant loss of power, something which he would make no bones about.

On the island, there was no response. Not initially, anyway... After several minutes, however, the voice returned.
"SO YOU SEEK US... YES. WE CAN HELP. MUCH STRONGER HEXPHAGE STRAIN. SPREADS MORE QUICKLY ON VICTIM. ONLY TRANSFERABLE THROUGH DIRECT SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT. THEY WILL GREATLY WEAKEN YOUR FRIEND, ALLOWING THOSE ALLIES YOU DETEST TO RESTRAIN HIM WITHOUT CAUSING ANY HARM. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO ACCEPT?" Though the mastermind didn't reveal its location, it was around, in hiding, waiting for Angora's response.

Angora paced around, almost falling in shock as soon as the voice responded with that hereafter like voice of his. Once he was done, Angora fell on one knee.
"Hexphage? No, please anything but that. There must be another way. Please, take it from someone who's already been through that. A higher dose of hexphage is too much. Is there really no other way?" Angora asked submissively, looking at the sky and knowing she was running out of time. She knew Shade back when he was evil. He knew how powerful he could be. But she also knew how horrible a higher dose of hexphage could be. Back in Redwater, she had an overwhelming dose of it so that she could be more attracting to the behemoth, and it was a horrible feeling.

The mastermind provided its answer, its voice being as robotic as ever. "THE DRAGON... THERE IS ONE OTHER SOLUTION. WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE MAY ENGAGE THE DRAGON IN COMBAT. BRING POWERFUL CREATURES AGAINST HIM. AS THE BATTLE GOES ON, WE WILL RESEARCH THE RESULTS. THE DRAGON WILL FIND IT EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO ATTACK OTHERS. THE TRANSFORMED HUMANS - THEIR PATIENCE FOR THE DRAGON GROWS THIN. THE DRAGON IS LIKELY TO BE CULLED, SHOULD HE KILL ANY OF THE CREW. WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?" The mastermind, though safe in its current location, remained hidden nonetheless - not wishing to reveal its presence and its appearance unless it was required.

"Than we don't use just the collar or just the cave--," Raclaw said approaching Shade alongside Latnok. "Remember. We are capable of channeling your energy-- and I am capable of doing so even from a distance. We don't have to use just one solution.," he then said recalling how he had done so before. Now was a better time than any to break the silience. Chester walked alongside him.

Elsewhere-- Risar kept an eye on the happenings on deck and issued orders to crew members.

By this time, Dahlia had approached Maverick, interrupting his conversation with Ilasi and feeling overwhelmingly uneasy, even more so than him.
"Hey. Easy girl. Take it easy. I'm here." Maverick assured, though not being very sure himself. He was too feeling nervous, but he didn't know why.

Quote: A Guy

The mastermind provided its answer, its voice being as robotic as ever. "THE DRAGON... THERE IS ONE OTHER SOLUTION. WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE MAY ENGAGE THE DRAGON IN COMBAT. BRING POWERFUL CREATURES AGAINST HIM. AS THE BATTLE GOES ON, WE WILL RESEARCH THE RESULTS. THE DRAGON WILL FIND IT EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO ATTACK OTHERS. THE TRANSFORMED HUMANS - THEIR PATIENCE FOR THE DRAGON GROWS THIN. THE DRAGON IS LIKELY TO BE CULLED, SHOULD HE KILL ANY OF THE CREW. WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?" The mastermind, though safe in its current location, remained hidden nonetheless - not wishing to reveal its presence and its appearance unless it was required.

With the reply, Angora knew that no matter in what angle she saw the situation, the chances of Shade being sacrificed were high in every direction. If it wasn't the Guardians that did it, then most likely this stranger and whoever his friends were will do it. Angora was also tired of this pattern of this power surges, and felt like all her time training him to be patient and control himself was a humongous waste of time.
"What if... What if we chain him up on a deserted island? Chain him with the most powerful metal we can find and leave him there until that horrendous blood moon passes?" Angora suggested, desperate for solutions since this stranger wasn't giving her good ones. She knew that battling him would mean most likely kill him if he threatened lives. It was such a cruel irony that none of the crew died with the White Shadow, yet they were at risk with Shade.

"Then tell me, Shade - what option do I have other than killing you?" Latnok asked neutrally. "This sort of thing keeps happening over and over again. Your very existence has cost many, many innocent lives so far, and many more are being put at risk. What would you have us do? Have this cycle keep happening over and over again for your own sake? Why should I let that happen?" Latnok's tolerance for Shade was reaching its limit, and he was highly tempted to execute the Asphyxiate command.

"SUCH A METAL - EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE. EVEN IF WE SUCCEEDED, WHATEVER THE METAL IS SECURED TO WOULD HAVE TO BE STRONG ENOUGH. HIGHLY UNLIKELY," the mastermind warned. CAN ATTEMPT MASSIVE TELEKINETIC ATTACK. DISRUPT CONSCIOUS BRAIN FUNCTION. WOULD RENDER THE TARGET COMPLETELY PARALYZED FOR A PERIOD OF DAYS. OPTION LIKELY TO FAIL IF THE VESSEL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS TO BE CONTROLLED.
"NO SAFE OPTION. EVERY CHOICE HAS SACRIFICES. DRAGON LIKELY TO PERISH IF HE CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE INCAPABILITY TO CONTROL POWER. SUCH BEHAVIOR UNFIT. WOULD CAUSE DEATH AS A RESULT, LEAVE ROOM FOR THOSE MORE FIT. DRAGON MUST BE NEUTRALIZED BEFORE THAT HAPPENS."

Angora was on the verge of tears. Everywhere she went, no matter whom she asked, everybody said the only option was the dragolet's death. In other times, she would've let him perish if it meant her own safety, but she has grown to care too much for him to let him go like that.
"But it'll only happen once! He said so himself! He is good! Why should he die over something that will only happens once? Please, you said the metal is hard to get. Hard, but not impossible, right? I can get the metal! I... I can even consider eliminating his powers completely! Something that may absorb his magic that isn't hexphage! Please, I'll do anything to keep him alive!" Angora begged once more, pulling her ears in saddened frustration. She was ready to accept any condition the stranger would give her if he only gave her the solution she was searching for...

"What.. what if I put him in a coma? Like before?," Raclaw thought out loud looking at Latnok. He had done so previously when the Dragolet had lost control-- even if it had cost him his own consciousness in the process.

"Strongest metal? The strongest metal we currently have around here is phoenix steel, and I don't think it'll quite do the job," Latnok said. "Even if it could, we don't have any of the conditions we need to mold it. Even then, we'd have to find something to secure it to that you wouldn't be able to destroy. Where the hell do you expect us to find all that junk?" Latnok would remain all ears for any good potential suggestions - his doubt, however, was very high after the Redwater incident.
"I'm not going to have Raclaw die for your sake. I'm not going to have ANYONE die for your sake. We're going to find a way to solve this problem - and we will not have anyone pay the price for you."

The creature paused for a few moments, for effect. "ANYTHING? I SHALL CONTACT OUR LEADERS. THEY SHALL MAKE THE DECISION." Angora would not have to wait long for a response - the communication was complete in seconds.
"WE MAY HELP YOU TO THAT END. WE CAN ACQUIRE THIS METAL. FORM IT INTO CHAINS. SECURE THE DRAGON TO A LARGE, POWERFUL CREATURE. IN EXCHANGE, YOU WILL BE UNDER A CONTRACT. YOU WILL PERFORM ONE ACTION FOR US AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. THIS ACTION WILL NOT REQUIRE YOU TO HARM ANYONE. DO YOU ACCEPT THESE CONDITIONS?" The mastermind waited patiently for Angora's response.

Quote: A Guy

The creature paused for a few moments, for effect. "ANYTHING? I SHALL CONTACT OUR LEADERS. THEY SHALL MAKE THE DECISION." Angora would not have to wait long for a response - the communication was complete in seconds.
"WE MAY HELP YOU TO THAT END. WE CAN ACQUIRE THIS METAL. FORM IT INTO CHAINS. SECURE THE DRAGON TO A LARGE, POWERFUL CREATURE. IN EXCHANGE, YOU WILL BE UNDER A CONTRACT. YOU WILL PERFORM ONE ACTION FOR US AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. THIS ACTION WILL NOT REQUIRE YOU TO HARM ANYONE. DO YOU ACCEPT THESE CONDITIONS?" The mastermind waited patiently for Angora's response.

As expected, Angora knew the favor wasn't going to come for free. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. As long as she didn't have to hurt anybody, she was willing to accept anything.
"Fine. As long as nobody will get hurt out of this contract, then deal. Just please, help my friend." Angora pleaded, willing to go through this contract if it meant controlling Shade and prevent him from ever hurting anybody else. She didn't exactly liked being under oath, but this was for a friend. If something happened to Shade, not only would she suffer. Maverick would too. She didn't want that. The Guardian's patience was thin, and she didn't have the means or resources to help Shade, so she had no choice but to trust this stranger whose magic was beyond the Ardent Guardinas themselves.

Quote: A Guy

"Strongest metal? The strongest metal we currently have around here is phoenix steel, and I don't think it'll quite do the job," Latnok said. "Even if it could, we don't have any of the conditions we need to mold it. Even then, we'd have to find something to secure it to that you wouldn't be able to destroy. Where the hell do you expect us to find all that junk?" Latnok would remain all ears for any good potential suggestions - his doubt, however, was very high after the Redwater incident.
"I'm not going to have Raclaw die for your sake. I'm not going to have ANYONE die for your sake. We're going to find a way to solve this problem - and we will not have anyone pay the price for you."

"Wait-- there may be another way, but we may not like it.," Raclaw started to say thinking of any alternatives to death itself. "My collar was once set up to absorb his energy-- to help him control it. Right now, his collar combined his Hexphage currently help him to mostly contain his current power levels. However, that alone won't be enough... not this time. But what if we doubled those efforts-- at least until the blood moon passes? If one fungus and one collar isn't enough, than how about TWO fungi and two collars? Although that function of our collars is mostly inactive these days; it may be possible to re-enable that link to allow my collar to once again absorb a portion of his power -- and to transfer it to me. This will weaken it and make each individual easier to control. From there...," he took a deep breath before speaking again.

"From there, we can infect myself with the Hexphage ONLY TEMPORARILY and use my fungus to help control my portion of his powers-- and my own. It.. it isn't the prettiest solution and it will unfortunately cost me my abilities in the process, but it may also prove to be the only solution that doesn't resort to any unnecessary deaths or cullings.," Raclaw than said clearly not entirely comfortable with his own proposition. His powers were part of what defined him and he had just recommended that they take away, even if only temporarily. Without his telepathy and fire breath-- he was little more than just a large talking dog-like dragon with wings. He had gone 16 years without any powers and had only been developing his powers for a little under three years now.

"That sounds like a terrible idea," Latnok said vehemently. "Who's to say that this ability to absorb his power won't be crippled by you being infected with hexphage? And if that does't work, what will we do about you being powerless for hours before we can cure you? Like I said - we will not have anyone paying for Shade's own failure. We'll figure this out - but it'll be something that won't hurt anyone else in the process." As far as Latnok was concerned, Shade had a huge part of the responsibility for all of the pain and suffering he had caused - and it would only be fair that he answers for them if it came to that.

"VERY WELL. STAND BY," the mastermind telepathed. Reaching out, it contacted its master - a few minutes later, the ground nearby could be heard cracking deep below, and soon a root broke out of the ground. The root opened up - revealing a figure, concealing its color and form by warping the shadows around it. The figure moved closer and closer until, several feet away from Angora, an arm extended from its amorphous form, offering a handshake. "Angora. When you accept this contract, we will do our part - in exchange, at some point in the future, we will have you perform one quick, simple action on our behalf. Shoulid you choose to disobey... well, the situation will eventually force you to comply. Now, reach out, and accept our terms."

Maverick continued spending time with Dahlia and Ilasi, two of his favorite girls, but as he did, he couldn't help stop being worried. There was tension in the atmosphere. Latnok seemed upset. Raclaw seemed sad. Shade seemed uneasy. What was worse Angora was nowhere to be seen on the main deck. Was she hiding from Latnok? Something was definitely going on, but Maverick didn't dare to ask, fearing that his curiosity would be mistaken as him interfering, something that he promised not to do when he got into that ship. Perhaps Raclaw could explain later?

Quote: A Guy

"VERY WELL. STAND BY," the mastermind telepathed. Reaching out, it contacted its master - a few minutes later, the ground nearby could be heard cracking deep below, and soon a root broke out of the ground. The root opened up - revealing a figure, concealing its color and form by warping the shadows around it. The figure moved closer and closer until, several feet away from Angora, an arm extended from its amorphous form, offering a handshake. "Angora. When you accept this contract, we will do our part - in exchange, at some point in the future, we will have you perform one quick, simple action on our behalf. Shoulid you choose to disobey... well, the situation will eventually force you to comply. Now, reach out, and accept our terms."

When the amorphous figure showed itself, Angora was startled in a way that she never has before. Not with Darkmatter, not with the behemoth, not even with the White Shadow. This individual creeped her out beyond words. Never has she asked herself more what has she has gotten into. She was very hesitant. She really wanted to say no so badly and find another solution, but she already dug a deep hole. She feared that if she changed her mind, things would be far worse than they already were.
"I... fine... stupid Shade. You owe me big!" Angora said as she extended her own hand, ready to seal the deal and whispering those last words. Despite wanting to help Shade, she was extremely angry at him as well. Not only did he made her feel forced to seek out this terrifying and most likely alien race. She was deeply upset at him for being unable to control his own powers and making her feel like she had wasted her time training him.

With Angora extending her hand, the amorphous figure shot its own hand out, giving Angora a handshake with a firm grip - a handshake which would cause her hand to feel incredibly hot, though not painfully so, while chilling the rest of her body, as if the heat from her body was being focused into her hand. The figure held it for a few seconds, before withdrawing it. When it did, a black imprint of a moth was left behind on the back of Angora's hand.
"Very well. We will be in touch soon. Return to your allies. We will speak to you when necessary. That mark will be visible only to you - a reminder of this pact." With that, the figure walked back into the root - which seemed to swallow it up and retreat back into the ground. The mastermind stayed behind, to observe any further reaction on Angora's part.

Angora was without any expressiveness in her face as the root looked as if it gobbled up her gelatinous visitor. She stopped to watch the mark, knowing there was no turning back from this one.
"Oh darn it all! Why do I keep doing so many stupid things? Stupid Shady! Why is it so difficult for him to just control his powers like any other creature? And why did he never told me about that legend? We could've done something sooner, but no, he had to wait this long AND while in custody of those monsters to say something!" Angora vented with herself, taking advantage of the fact that she was quite far from the ship and nobody from there could hear her.
"Well, better get back before that Sere notices I'm missing. Not that he would probably care." she then said to herself as she made her way back to the ship, thinking of ways she could get on it without using the gangplank. She truly believed none of the Guardians would care if she disappeared. Sere was willing to let Latnok of all people behind, so searching for her was most likely out of the question.

As she walked through the chilly, she once again started to wonder, why? Why did the Guardians hated her so much? The question still haunted her. She defeated Darkmatter, faced a behemoth without needing to, and played a big role in defeating the White Shadow, so why was it so hard for Sere and Latnok to treat her well? She wasn't even looking for their approval or acknowledgement anymore, she just wanted to be treated well. Was it all because she had been rude? That wasn't so bad. She had her reasons. She had never been violent or vengeful towards them, so why? Why was it so difficult for them to see how good she tried to be? Angora stopped thinking about it worried that she would start to cry again if she lingered on the thought...

Quote: A Guy

"That sounds like a terrible idea," Latnok said vehemently. "Who's to say that this ability to absorb his power won't be crippled by you being infected with hexphage? And if that does't work, what will we do about you being powerless for hours before we can cure you? Like I said - we will not have anyone paying for Shade's own failure. We'll figure this out - but it'll be something that won't hurt anyone else in the process." As far as Latnok was concerned, Shade had a huge part of the responsibility for all of the pain and suffering he had caused - and it would only be fair that he answers for them if it came to that.

Raclaw thought for a moment; it was clear that Latnok wasn't willing to risk him or his abilities. Between using the Hexphage, putting Shade into a coma state, and other viable solutions on his part-- almost all of them did just that and the beloved Guardian would've just seen him risk his life with the White Shadow. By now, it was well known to the Guardians that he didn't mind taking risks; something that more often than not worried the protective Latnok. That was understandable of course. Even with their currently shaky status-- they were still best friends and he had been the Guardian's only real friend. "If-- if using my abilities is out of the question, than relocation to somewhere remote may by the only viable option. Find somewhere where there is no sentient population to harm and where other populations aren't close enough to get caught in the blast radius. An remote island with some kind of cave system or caverns would be ideal, but any remote destination should work given enough distance. Shade, I know you're afraid but we will find a way.," Raclaw then said not wishing to see the former traveling companion be killed. Chester remained next to Raclaw not immediately thinking of anything.

Seeing Shade's reaction caused Latnok to pause for some time in thought; maybe the group could work this out... he had been treating Shade as somewhat of an enemy. And, in certain ways, he was; but they'd rather have Shade alive than dead, so perhaps it would be worth it to find a solution.
Provided, of course, that no one else had to suffer as a result of Shade's lack of self-control. "Okay... we'll figure something out," he said to Shade. "Provided that Godfather Sere is on board with any such decision. The first sense I get that our solution is going to fail... I'll do what I have to. But we'll work on the problem until then. Sound about right?"
Latnok then began to address both dragons present after a pause. "So we leave Shade alone on some sort of remote place... then what? What's to stop him from flying away? We could try to break his wings; but they'd likely just heal again. We could try to secure him; but we don't have a material sturdy enough, or an anchor point which we are sure won't break. What can we possibly do? Maybe something flexible, yet strong, that gives just enough to avoid breaking... I can't think of any material that fits that description that we have in large enough quantities. Any other ideas? Something which doesn't rely on yet more people sacrificing themselves for Shade's sake?"

As the two continued to speak, Ilasi couldn't help but become curious as to the subject of the conversation. Latnok was typically with Shade solely with the purpose of controlling him, whether it be training or something more urgent - and Raclaw was with him too. Raclaw had helped to keep Shade under control last time. Was Shade losing control?
"I don't fee very good about whatever subject those three are discussing right now," Ilasi said. "They don't seem too happy about it... and we know what Raclaw and Latnok have to do in regards to Shade. It... it can't be anything too bad, though, can it? He has the collar and hexphage..."

"What about the collar? Would it be possible to paralyze him and simply leave him in that state prior to leaving?," Raclaw suggested though he was concerned about the range of the collar. If need be-- he could possibly extend that range via his telepathic abilities.

Angora climbed the tall ship using her teeth and the tip of the knife, being very careful not to damage the ship too much, or at least not let the dents and scratches be too noticeable. Most of the crew and prisoners were busy with the newest repairs, and Latnok and the rest of his group were too busy with Shade. Using their distraction and her own small stature, Angora headed to the barrel where she was hidden before, seeing much to her surprise that Raclaw and Latnok were still with Shade, and talking about solutions. She didn't know if they had already come up with a solution or if they were still talking about it, which is why she remained there to listen to whatever else they talked about and make sure she could fill the gaps she missed. Nobody seemed to wonder where she went, so she remained behind that barrel, acting like she never left.

Quote: A Guy

As the two continued to speak, Ilasi couldn't help but become curious as to the subject of the conversation. Latnok was typically with Shade solely with the purpose of controlling him, whether it be training or something more urgent - and Raclaw was with him too. Raclaw had helped to keep Shade under control last time. Was Shade losing control?
"I don't fee very good about whatever subject those three are discussing right now," Ilasi said. "They don't seem too happy about it... and we know what Raclaw and Latnok have to do in regards to Shade. It... it can't be anything too bad, though, can it? He has the collar and hexphage..."

"I'll have to talk to señor Raclaw and ask him himself. I don't know whether señor Latnok is talking about training Shade or something else, but I promised I wouldn't interfere whenever he was with him." Maverick replied, wanting Ilasi to know the conditions he was under. He didn't remember if the mermaid was present when Sere set him up the particular rules he had to follow for he and Angora to be part of the crew, but just in case, he was reminding her.

As the group continued to brainstorm ideas for keeping Shade from doing any further harm, the sound of the ground rumbling could be heard somewhere in the distance - followed by the loud cracking of ground breaking - startling Ilasi. Sere and Latnok, bowever, did not react as strongly, with Latnok being much too distracted to care. Sere, cautious, decided that he would investigate.
"I will check out the source of this noise," Sere informed Risar. "I'll be back shortly." Sere headed to Veris' enclosure, to get his mount.

Angora became jumpy after the rumble, being extremely uneasy after the meeting with the amorphous visitor. She then looked at the back of her hand and saw the moth symbol, wondering if there was a connection. Even though she was guaranteed the symbol would be visible only to her, she didn't like the idea of being marked like cattle, and it frustrated her to have forgotten to ask if the symbol would disappear after the deal was over. As she thought about that, she also wondered, what could that stranger and whoever his friends were possibly want with her? They have proven to have magic powerful enough to rival even that of the Guardians, so what more did they want? They weren't doing her this favor out of the kindness of their own hearts. We're they going to ask her a few questions? Experiment on her? She would be forced to repay them somehow soon, and it tortured her not to know anything.

Quote: A Guy

As the group continued to brainstorm ideas for keeping Shade from doing any further harm, the sound of the ground rumbling could be heard somewhere in the distance - followed by the loud cracking of ground breaking - startling Ilasi. Sere and Latnok, bowever, did not react as strongly, with Latnok being much too distracted to care. Sere, cautious, decided that he would investigate.

Maverick had to grab Dahlia by the horns to calm her down, and then looked at Ilasi.
"It's alright. It's just a little tremor. Probably nothing new on an island like this." he assured to the two girls, though wondering if Dahlia had felt uneasy all this time because he knew it was coming, or if it was something else. Animals had better instincts to that.

But in the heat of the moment, Maverick remembered something important.
"Oh, lo siento Ilasi. With everything going on, I forgot to ask you if you wanted something for breakfast." he immediately asked, recalling that was the reason he had been looking for the mermaid in the first place.

Risar nodded-- keeping an eye on things on deck.

As the ground rumbled, Chester grew weary but remained relatively calm. Raclaw, like Latnok, was much too distracted to pay immediate attention. The matter of Shade's life was at stake with the coming blood moon.

Angora was still pondering the deal and what price she had to pay for their service. The voice had said the metal was really hard to get, but how much of the truth was that? What if they had the metal already in their possession and said that just to fool her into making a deal? What if it wasn't as hard to get as they claimed? Or if it was the truth, how long will it take them to get it? Will they find it in time? So many questions were driving Angora crazy, so she tried very hard to stop thinking about this infernal deal or she feared she would lose her mind...