darkSpyro

Mischief made a little surprised yip before her tail started wagging. She couldn't help but enjoy attention, although she had to react quickly to grab her robe and notebook. Thankfully she had good reflexes, being a relatively quick little Pokemon. She clutched her notebook and staff, important in magick. Spells she didn't use often were in her notebook for when she did need them. And her staff was vital, or at least the crystal tipping it. Without the gleaming blue gemstone she couldn't focus her magick effectively. She kept the robe over her little body for modesty, which in a Pokemon was unnecessary but it was a behavior she'd learned. Her big eyes scanned the deck.
Choco picked his head up. A moment later he stood and started running beside Maverick, mimicking his path perfectly. He was so fond of the idea of racing. However, Mischief had never thought to try racing him against horses, and chocobo weren't exactly common. At least not on the island.

Ilasi needed only to step into her room and grab the spellbook on the shelf before returning outside. She looked in the immediate area for Maverick and Mischief, but couldn't find them; it took her a bit of walking around before she could.
When she did, she presented the spellbook to Mischief. "Hey. Here you go - you can borrow this," Ilasi offered. "You might find something useful in there, though many of the spells are just novelties."

Maverick was very happy to see Ilasi so open to the idea of lending her things to others.
"Look look. Mira Mischief." Maverick said, grabbing the book first fo that Mischief would know how unique it was and to not be startled by it. Instead of having words, holograms of postures were shown, along with a voice that said the name of spells and how to perform them. Maverick remembered how much Ilasi loved that book, and was very happy when he gifted it to her.

Quote: cyndego

Huntress could notice a group following her. They where trying to make it look like there was nothing going on, but somebody with her experience could easily see what was really happening.

Huntress tried to ignore it, but the stalking was evident. Just what was wrong with the guards today? First that priest and now this group of people. Did everyone agreed to not leave her alone? The border had more freedom for civilians to roam around and some even lived nearby, but this was still a military place. Why was nobody stopping them? She almost asked a soldier to get rid of them, and at her worst, she would've asked a behemoth to slap them away, but she wanted to see for herself what was the deal.
"Alright you, what gives? Why won't you stop following me? What do you want!?" she demanded to know, addressing to one of the members, and having waited for a while before confronting them. She had to make sure it was her specifically the one they were following

OOC: It WHAT. I missed another important plot point I see. At least I can correct my error now. This oughta be fun. Prepare for trouble, and make it double!
Mischief stared in absolute awe. The book was good for a Copycat like herself, she realized. She shifted in Maverick's arm and wagged her tail excitedly, overwhelmed by delight. She couldn't hide her excitement at the impressive book. Sure it was full of novelties. So what? Novelties are usually entertaining at least once! She yipped and yapped a bit with excitement. Her eyes locked on Ilasi, displaying not merely affection or gratitude but adoration. Anyone could read her eyes, should they try, so her emotions were an open book (not to mention usually a short read). As she returned her attention to the book she developed a slight grin, one that anyone remotely familiar with a typical Zorua would recognize and find worrying. While innocent in itself, the mind behind those blue eyes had started brewing a variety of mischievous schemes. One of the things the pup did with any spell was figure out how to use it for decidedly less practical purposes. More specifically pranks. She began taking notes down with an enchanted quill she "borrowed" from her Black Mage teachers. It never ran out of ink, any more than her notebook ran out of space. She forced back giggles at some of her own zany little schemes. She wrote surprisingly quickly for somebody without thumbs.

Maverick had a wide smile when the book did the trick. With this borrowing, Mischief was already looking Ilasi into a more positive light now, so now hopefully the little fox could leave the shyness behind and at the same time make Ilasi feel good about her action.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Oh come on. I’m gonna end up eating you out of boardum.” He said joking.

Angora was rather surprised he would make those kind of jokes. It was usually her territory. But she went along with it.
"Just don't let Veris find out. He won't have anyone to feed him then." she joked back, knowing that even if Veris didn't like her so much, he wanted her around for the food and attention.

"But better find something then, huh? Boredom can make you hungry. Bored... board. Hey, there's an idea. A board game. I know you'd rather move around, but we can't do that just yet. Let's distract our minds with one of Maverick's board games." she suggested, not being a usual activity for them, but if they played a board game, time would went by faster, and hopefully once the game was over, Sere would've returned from his exploration.

Seeing Mischief light up like she did warmed Ilasi's heart, and she gave a bright smile and a nod. "I'll need that back later, but feel free to borrow it any time. Have fun - but try not to get too carried away now! Wouldn't want to upset the captain, after all."
Ilasi's eyes settled on Maverick once again. He really did know how to brighten anyone's day. Mischief would likely be occupied for a while now...

In the infirmary, Jedde rubbed his head. He could recall some details - fuzzy details. He was wanted for... heresy? He wasn't quite sure - he had never been the kind of person to actively rile others up, and certainly didn't think he would do so with a community that made him feel as welcome as he did. There had to be sone sort of mistake... if only his mind wasn't so foggy.

Maverick watched as Mischief left with the book. He didn't think the fox heard Ilasi, but he would make sure to let her know later that the book was borrowed, not a gift.
"Well, that should keep her busy for a while. Heh." he said, Mischief now having both Digi and the book to keep her entertained for hours.
"So mi Ilasi, what now, eh? The little fox will be busy for a while, and I'm letting Angorita have her turn with Oscurito since I already had my turn. Anything in particular in mind?" he asked in an almost flirty tone, being in such a good mood that he wasn't as shy in his relationship as in other occasions. With Shade being allowed time with them at last and Angora finally starting to be treated with respect and appreciation. And he had a girlfriend. Finally, everything seemed to be going well.

Sand Dune noticed Jedde awake, and believed he was trying to get up.
"Woah there mate. You still need a little more rest. You were in quite the nasty shape when you were brought here. Your wounds still need to heal." the former pirate said, with him and his companions taking their jobs at the infirmary very seriously.

Mischief practiced with a few basic gimmick spells first, writing down ideas for using them. Her grin only grew more blatant. Her gem gleamed with magick, her raw talent apparent. Each spell was learned with ease, and her delight in simply learning was obvious. She moved between writing notes, practicing, and studying with Digi. She would master magick and her natural powers as a Zorua and be truly capable. Finally she looked up to find a beak in her face. Choco made that signature noise. "KWEH!!!"
Mischief gently pushed him a little. "Hi, yes. I'm a bit... Oh! I'm sorry Choco!" She hadn't fed the bird creature since she last ate for herself! As she dug out the weird leafy veggie for Choco and tossed it up she became aware of her own stomach's grumblings. She glanced at the book. "I don't suppose they've got a spell to conjure up some dinner... Unlikely. Those spells are more typical as a gift directly from a deity." She rested a paw on her middle. She was by no means fat, but she was a voracious eater, which may have as much to do with using so much Mana as it did with species and with being active.
Digi felt the need to inform her "If you're wondering why you need so much food, most Pokemon have fast metabolisms, much higher than typical humans. You can technically go a lot longer than you feel, but it's not fun."
Mischief sighed. "I appreciate you're trying to help, Digi, but I already had the basic idea. I'm famished."
Digi pointed out "Well, you could stand there complaining, or you could find some food or ask someone to help."
Mischief glanced at him. "I'd hate to impose myself..."

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“That sounds like a great idea! What games does he have?” Shade said.

"Not sure. Maverick keeps a lot of stuff, but he has a hard time deciding what he keeps and what he sells. I can borrow his bag and see. I know he has cards, Checkers and Chess." Angora explained, never bothering to look those games often. She did know about the cards though, especially now since Sand Dune, Random and Opium taught her a lot during her time in captivity.

"Oh, I dunno..." Ilasi said coyly. "We'll have to wait for thr captain to get back before we can go sea-diving. For now, let's go to my room for now, and just talk, hang out, and see what happens..." At that point, Ilasi leaned into Maverick, her head against his shoulders. She never would have thought that she would get to know such a fine man, let alone have her love reciprocated... before then, she was always just working to get by, but now she saw a future ahead.

Jedde laid back down as ordered. "Yeah... you're right," he said as he settled down. "I don't know... something doesn't add up. I can't find the missing pieces..." Something else flashed in his mind. A figure... partly made of wood?

The group followed along for a while, until they reached King's Road once again. At this point, the prior telepathic voice naturally returned.
"That's as far as you need take our guests," the voice resounded. "We can guide them from here. Now leave us be."

"Well you hit your head pretty badly dude. Whatever attacked you did it with the intention to kill you. Good thing Angora found you when she did. A few minutes later, and you weren't going to be alive." Sand Dune explained, having seen a few nasty wounds in his life as a pirate, but never from a wild animal... or whatever attacked this man. At first he believed it was just an unfortunate predatory encounter, but Sand Dune and his companions have heard how this man was wanted. Perhaps a trained animal was sent to kill him? The thought alone made him cringe.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Can you help me play? My paws are a bit big for board games.

Angora forgot about that detail. It wasn't too fun when you had to move for your opponent. It was almost like playing alone.
"Oh right. Well, it's just not the same that way." she said, finding it too unfortunate that Shade's size could prevent some activities to be done with his much smaller friends. Angora then looked at Veris and remembered something.
"You know, don't tell Maverick this, but one way I entertain Veris when we can't go outside is to let him chew on the magical orb shield I create around me. Fortunately, it has never failed me, and thankfully, he hasn't swallowed." Angora confessed, knowing Maverick would have a heart attack if he knew how badly she risked her life for the sake of the wyvern. Shade probably wouldn't like the idea either, but maybe the idea could help them find a similar activity in order to find some form of entertainment.

Quote: A Guy

"Oh, I dunno..." Ilasi said coyly. "We'll have to wait for thr captain to get back before we can go sea-diving. For now, let's go to my room for now, and just talk, hang out, and see what happens..." At that point, Ilasi leaned into Maverick, her head against his shoulders. She never would have thought that she would get to know such a fine man, let alone have her love reciprocated... before then, she was always just working to get by, but now she saw a future ahead.

Maverick didn't know what they could do to pass the time in Ilasi's cabin, but he believed in their intelligence and creativity, and of course he had a hyperspace bag full of fun stuff, so they could find a way to pass the time. Mischief was entertained and Veris asleep, and Angora was with Shade, so they could leave calmly. Maverick put his fluffy arm around Ilasi's and walked with her.
"Ok mi hermosa señorita. Vamonos." he said with a raised chest, trying to look all mighty, though it was hard to take him seriously with so much hair and such an innocent looking face.

Once Starshatter was gone, many trees along one of the diverging roads began to sway noticeably. "Please, follow the path I have marked out for you," the voice telepathed. "It will lead you to one of our cave networks. From there, you will be escorted to me. I look forward to seeing you, brother." With nothing else to go off of, Sere trepidatiously took steps forward along the designated path, with the rest of the company following closely behind him.
"Keep an eye out," Sere cautioned. Latnok and Raclaw had The Sight active, being especially watchful for any potential attack.

Ilasi found Maverick's display slightly amusing, though she didn't say anything. Regardless of how he acted, he was still the same loveable man she got to know. The two would soon find themselves back inside Ilasi's room, Ilasi closing the door behind them.
Once she did, she took a seat on her bed. "So much has been happening as of late..." Ilasi started, as she looked around the room for anything particularly interesting. "But we're still here, despite all that. When this is done... oh, there is so much we could do together!" Though a ways away, Ilasi could hardly contain her excitement at the thought. She was originally satisfied with just making ends meet - but here was finally the opportunity to have a real life of her own, with Maverick.

"I know, right? So many things, and finally, things are starting to go right. I thank the heavens for meeting someone like you." Maverick said happily, his father denying him a relationship all that time because he believed made you weak. But with him gone, Maverick could have a real life now.

"I met you, encountered Angorita after so many years and after believing I would never see her again. And even befriended a dragon! And not Oscurito alone! I even managed to bond with Veris. El capitán ascended me and is finally treating Angorita better. And he even let Oscurito be with us. Even with all the bad things that happened in the past, good things are coming our way at last. Life sure gave us some heavy tests, but now, things are getting better. I'm happy. I'm happy Ilasi. And I want to stay happy! And I want you to be happy! And I want all my friends to be happy! I want everybody to be happy!" he said with a smile that almost reached his ears, acting like a little boy who just came from the best ride of an amusement park, or a kid who tasted ice cream for the first time.

Ilasi couldn't help but remember that Angora and Shade were still a consideration. After this was all over... would Maverick's attention still be split? Could Maverick dedicate himself to establishing a new life with her? What would happen with Angora once Shade was gone, anyway? There was no way that Aelinon was going to let her stay with him.
She couldn't hold the thoughts any longer. "When this is all over, Maverick, Shade will probably have to return to Aelinon to serve his sentence. Angora - where would she go? Is she going to stay with us? If so... that shouldn't be too big a problem, should it? I hope..."

Sere and his company was led through the forest by the swaying trees marking a path, as the group remained on high alert the whole time. At the end was a rather unscrupulous cave entrance. With some hesitation, everyone entered.
Inside was much more decorated - with much of the decor that was present in other Ishulgite locations. The group would occasionally pass one on guard, who welcomed them enthusiastically. Eventually, with a split, one of the guards found the group, escorting them down the correct path.
At the very end was a plain door. Without needing to be informed, an insectoid man opened the door and stepped out as soon as everyone reached the designated location. He gave a brief bow before continuing.
"Welcome, brother. We have been waiting for you," he said enthusiastically. "Please, do leave your escort outside; we have matters for your ears only."
Latnok gave Sere an unsure look of concern; Sere simply nodded back. "I will be fine. Please wait right here," he said, before stepping into the room.

Sand Dune, Opium and Random continued attending the man, preventing him from leaving and get into trouble. If he was a wanted man, chances are nobody would want to see him.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi couldn't help but remember that Angora and Shade were still a consideration. After this was all over... would Maverick's attention still be split? Could Maverick dedicate himself to establishing a new life with her? What would happen with Angora once Shade was gone, anyway? There was no way that Aelinon was going to let her stay with him.
She couldn't hold the thoughts any longer. "When this is all over, Maverick, Shade will probably have to return to Aelinon to serve his sentence. Angora - where would she go? Is she going to stay with us? If so... that shouldn't be too big a problem, should it? I hope..."

Maverick's happy demeanor changed to one of extreme concern.
"But... isn't this journey to prove Oscurito can redeem himself and earn his freedom? Clearly señor Sere has seen how he hasn't done any damage in a long time. Why he should continue paying for something that wasn't even on purpose?" Maverick stated, unable to comprehend why Aelinon was so unfair and harsh with their laws.

Maverick started to pace, Ilasi reminding him they weren't out of the woods yet in the matter of Shade's crime.
"Perhaps... I can convince señor Sere to convince Aelinon to give Oscurito his freedom. If he has to do a few tasks to amend for what he did, then it's understandable, but what if they decide send him to prison again? And... Angorita. She would be just devastated. I can't allow it Ilasi. I have to do something. My friends have suffered enough because of this situation. There has to be a way. There's always a solution for everything, isn't there?" Maverick stated, though the last question was more to himself than her. Maverick wanted to spend the rest of his life with Ilasi, but he didn't want to abandon his friends. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left his friends, his family, to their luck.

Quote: Felines

Quote: cyndego

Huntress could notice a group following her. They where trying to make it look like there was nothing going on, but somebody with her experience could easily see what was really happening.

Huntress tried to ignore it, but the stalking was evident. Just what was wrong with the guards today? First that priest and now this group of people. Did everyone agreed to not leave her alone? The border had more freedom for civilians to roam around and some even lived nearby, but this was still a military place. Why was nobody stopping them? She almost asked a soldier to get rid of them, and at her worst, she would've asked a behemoth to slap them away, but she wanted to see for herself what was the deal.
"Alright you, what gives? Why won't you stop following me? What do you want!?" she demanded to know, addressing to one of the members, and having waited for a while before confronting them. She had to make sure it was her specifically the one they were following

At first it looked like nobody was going to react to what Huntress had said. But slowly there was movement in almost every direction.
It took some time but the group was clearly getting closer to Huntress, but they made sure that if She shouted for guards or anything like that, they could just look like ordinary people with no connection to one another.
After they where close enough one of the group shouted ” Get her!”. And as fast as that six men with daggers started to charge at Huntress.
But at the same moment five others surprised the ones attacking killing one each. That left just one going fast after Huntress.

"Well... as much as I would like things to go well, we have to at least acknowledge the reality," Ilasi said after a pause. "Short of a miracle, Shade wll never be let off the hook. The families of those he's killed would have no justice, no one to answer for what happened - and Shade broke his court order, and those deaths are a direct result of that. There would be... it would be very hard to justify him getting off while others are punished for lesser crimes. We can keep trying to find something - but we have to acknowledge the possibilities." Ilasi herself was at a loss for what could be done - by all accounts, it seemed that Shade was out of luck.

As the door shut behind Sere and his host, the guard would escort the others to a waiting room, not too far away. Said room would have the typical furniture and amenities, as well as some fruits and drinks for refreshment.
Sere, meanwhile, was ushered into a seat by his host, which he accepted. Once he was seated, the host took a seat across from him on the desk.
The host gave Sere a warm smile before continuing. "Welcome, brother. Sere... or should I say, Sirius."
Sere, usually of calm composure, was visibly caught off guard for a moment. Sirius... that is a name he hadn't heard in a very long time - and from...
"Sirius? Who gave you that name?" Sere demanded, suddenly becoming indignant.
"Hmm... who have you known that would have known you by that name?" the host asked, almost goading Sere.
"...my family," Sere said. "They're long dead. What do they have to do with you?"
"Is it not clear yet? When I called you 'brother', I meant it quite literally. Rigel - in case you have forgotten about me. You were old enough to have gone your own separate way at the time. I... was not. I had to witness the horror that was the complete destruction of our house - as some power-hungry fools attempted an assassination plot, and attempted to drag the entire house down in an act of spite and a futile effort to save themselves. As far as Aelinon is concerned, there is no trace of our house left. I'm sure you were told all of this... after your training was complete."
Sere was completely astonished. "Explain yourself. How... did you end up here? As you are now?"
"You wouldn't be the first to have traded your humanity for power," Rigel said. After the failed plot, I simply left Aelinon. I could never escape the taint on our name. I didn't have any romanticized goals - I was simply moving from one place to the next, looking for a means to survive. One day, however... I came across a priest. He felt my despair, my frustration with the world, and offered me the ability to be a catalyst to change the world for the better - so that none would ever have to suffer as we had. Enough about that, though. We're not just here for a family reunion. We have business to attend to - allow me to explain things more to you..."

OOC: Hey cyndego. You need to specify where the men are. Otherwise the soldiers would definitely react to such a scene.

Quote: A Guy

"Well... as much as I would like things to go well, we have to at least acknowledge the reality," Ilasi said after a pause. "Short of a miracle, Shade wll never be let off the hook. The families of those he's killed would have no justice, no one to answer for what happened - and Shade broke his court order, and those deaths are a direct result of that. There would be... it would be very hard to justify him getting off while others are punished for lesser crimes. We can keep trying to find something - but we have to acknowledge the possibilities." Ilasi herself was at a loss for what could be done - by all accounts, it seemed that Shade was out of luck.

Maverick could only sigh with disappointment and sadness, not wanting to imagine the hell Shade would live if he was imprisoned for life in Aelinon.
"If Shade broke the court order is because Angorita was mortally wounded. He was trying to get help. If only I was there..." he lamented, wondering if things would be different if he had been present. He could've healed Angora himself and a Shade wouldn't have had the need to go to Aelinon.
"A miracle... yes... a miracle! That's it! Ilasi, we could ask Orion... oh but wait, he's a very busy deity. Even Angorita has trouble contacting him." he said, knowing that Angora has tried to contact him in the past, but being the great creator meant he was often busy, so much that he barely even had time to spare for his chosen savior. Maverick pondered more...
"I know! When I was separated from her and Oscurito, I met this strange hooded figure in a village on my way to Redwater. He told me to pray for his deity. Isulgi? Ishulger? Darn! I forgot the name! But I did ask for a miracle that time, and not only did I met Dahlia that very day. When I prayed for her to reach Redwater faster, she did. I don't know how, but it happened. It almost looked like she was flying!" Maverick said ecstatic, getting his hopes up again. It was a memory that felt very far away, but that was the day he met Dahlia, so it was impossible to forget it completely, even if he did forget the name of the deity. He felt rather bad for asking this deity and not Orion, but he had results the last time, and if that meant not to disturb the always busy Galaxy Dragon, so be it.

Sere could only sit patiently as Rigel continued.
"Now, I'm sure you know some of what our goals are. That is, we want to rid the world of the influence of outside deities. The only deity that should have power here on this world is Ishulgu - a god to serve the people. Beings that powerful have no place here - they threaten the harmony which would allow everyone to coexist. They would have themselves be above others by nature of this power. In the same vein, the creatures you encountered earlier today are a threat to most sapient beings here - recall how many people were murdered by the one you have on board, all because he deemed his own friend to be more important than obeying the law."
"Speaking of those creatures," Sere interjected, "they demanded to know why you attacked them."
"My brother, do you know what the purpose of war is? War's sole purpose is to impose your will on others. Now, we do not feel this is the best way to go about things - we would much prefer that as many people as possible see the value of our message, and work with us towards the greater good. In certain cases, however, it proves to be necessary. Those creatures - do you think they would have willingly let you go while you have one of their own on board as a prisoner? No, they wouldn't have - so we needed some force to impose our will on them, to have them release you. No matter - as long as the storm rages on this island, they cannot harm others. They are currently not worth the resources to launch a full assault on; skirmishes here and there, we gain valuable data from, however."
"The storm - what do you know about it?" Sere inquired.
"You probably already know - or at least suspect - that we have some influence in it. And you would be right," Rigel answered plainly.
Sere hid his anger for the moment, though he couldn't help but speak his mind. "Do you have any idea how many people that storm has killed?" he asked as neutrally as he could.
"The storm didn't come suddenly. Everyone who went into the storm knew what they were getting into," Rigel answered coldly. "But you see - you're probably wondering, how can we control such a powerful storm, for so long? And the answer lies in two key things. One - are you familiar with the Void Breaker?"
"Yes, I am," Sere answered. "It's an ancient artifact acquired by Aelinon and operated in order to destroy magical creatures, or create barriers, or the like."
"Exactly. And you have always been a studious one, brother - certainly you know that it comes in two parts. The other part? The Void Locator - we possess that here. It allows one to easily search out magical power - and acts as a targeting device of sorts for the Void Breaker. Currently, the Void Breaker is limited in its reach by the humans who control it. But with the Void Locator... you get something much more accurate and wide-reaching."

After wrestling with Shade a little while to pass the time and give him some exercise as well while Veris slept, but after much activity, she started to feel as drowsy as the wyvern himself.
"I'm going to take a brief nap now Shady. Boy did I miss this. Maybe someday, we will return to this life..." Angora said, with a bit of sadness since she knew that Maverick will likely not accompany them in future adventures if he was planning a life apart with Ilasi. But she tried to hope for the best as Maverick would do.

The little troll made herself comfortable besides the dragolet's belly, really having missed how warm and comfortable it was.
"Forgot how nice this was. And Shady, if you get bored, please try not to eat me." she said, reminding him of his silly joke earlier. She didn't know if he was tired, but she was, and she wanted to recover energy before it was Veris' turn to be entertained and exercised. Before closing her eyes, she looked at Mischief, and when she got her attention, Angora signaled the little fox to remain on the main deck, though given how entertained she was with both Digi and the book Ilasi let her borrow, Angora doubted she would have to worry about her for a while. And if Shade wasn't tired, he could watch her himself.

"So," Sere said, "I take it you've found a way to repurpose this targeting device to... blanket the surrounding area in an unending storm? Just how..."
"Come on, brother!" Rigel said almost teasingly. "Our parents always did consider you the smart one. You know how."
Indeed, Sere always had a sneaking suspicion...
"The Scepter of Storms."
"Indeed, brother. That is what I was selected for - being of the noble bloodline, I have the capability of wielding the Scepter. Lost in a civil 'war' - if you could call it such - never to be recovered. As it turns out, it was laying in the ocean, found by us with the power of the Void Locator."
Sere was finally beginning to piece things together. "But that means... you have been in possession of the Scepter for decades? Many, many people have died as a result."
"Indeed, brother." Rigel looked away for a moment, as if he had difficulty speaking, before facing back forward. "But... I have seen too many die already. This is madness. This must be put to an end. And that end will never happen until we are all in perfect harmony. And so we've bade our time here... Do you see why the path is called King's Road? With the power of the Scepter, I will lay claim to Aelinon."
Sere gave a short gasp. "Wait... are you serious? Rigel, this is insane. You can't truly be planning to drag the country into years of-"
"Years of civil war? Brother, I've already told you - I want to fight as little as possible. As the time has gone by, we have been laying the framework - you are thinking of a scale of years, but the reality will be on a scale of days. I have this all planned out, brother - we are on the verge of creating a new world. One where no one will ever have to fight anymore. With no disagreements, no selfishness, no fighting. Is this not the world you've wanted?"

Sere's next response wouldn't come for a while. Rigel had some good points - but the way he was going about it? People would die - no doubt about it. But as for the world left behind...
"You mentioned something about powerful creatures like dragons?" Sere asked. "What exactly do you have in mind for them?"
"Well, brother, as you know, we humans and other similar species are naturally social creatures. Dragons and related creatures... not so much. They are naturally hostile and xenophobic, and most will not cooperate with so-called 'lesser' races. This thinking is a danger to our perfect unity - and has no place here. To that end, we have been performing rigorous experiments in the creation of dragon subspecies that are more amicable - something that would be naturally inclined to cooperate with others. I believe the fur dragon among you is a product of such experimentation - one that has been, from our data, rather successful. Docile, cooperative, reliant... part of a team."
Sere pondered for a moment. His work in seeing if dragons could coexist with humans if raised from birth... on Adjudicator Julian's advice. That meant...
"Julian. Where is he? I know you've worked with him," Sere said forcefully. Julian was always rather obsessed with science - was he afraid of being forced to stop by Sere if all of the details were plain? How much of the project was legitimate - and how much of it were eggs of dragon species deliberately modified for such a purpose?
"Julian and we went our own separate ways," Rigel answered. "I would not happen to know where he is now. No matter - we would very much like you to work with us, brother. The capabilities of the Ardent Guardians - between the blood rituals and your own research - have the potential to launch us far into the future. We are so close..."

Quote: Spyroconvexity

“Don’t worry I’ll watch her for you.” He smiled. “I actually missed someone sleeping on my belly.” Shade said.

Angora smiled warmly, feeling happy and relaxed. She really needed this moment, and knew Shade did too. She wanted to believe that everything will be alright after the voyage. That even if Maverick went his separate way, she would still have Shade. She already asked him many times about what he would do if he believed he had a family, and each time he always answered the same way. He adamantly insisted that he wanted to be with her, so Angora was certain she was never going to be alone...

Raclaw waited alongside Latnok and the others-- trusting that Sere knew what he was doing.

Meanwhile on deck-- Chester was rolling his ball from paw to paw when he accidentally sent it rolling towards Tyraika...

Angora slept pleasantly, not having any nightmares, or dreams whatsoever. Just sleep. At first she had trouble falling asleep due to how much was in her head, but she knew it was pointless to worry about the future for now since it was the present he had to take advantage of.

At Ilasi's cabin, Maverick was initially worried about Shade and his future, but after remembering the deity he once prayed to, he wasn't so worried anymore. His concern was briefly shifted to Chester, whom he left at the main deck. But the little dog was smart, plus there were people on the main deck, including his friends, so someone else could keep an eye on him. And when Mischief was done with all of his distraction, she could play with him as well. For now, he wanted to enjoy this moment and be with his girlfriend, and as usual, hope for the best future. Not just for him, but for his friends as well, and all the people who were struggling to find happiness...

"...did you just assume I would automatically be on board with all this?" Sere asked Rigel. "This... this is... rather drastic.
"Of course not," Rigel answered frankly. "But I know you can at least acknowledge some of the merit of what we're attempting. And - of course - it's likely you would have learned all of this sooner or later. It's better you hear it straight from the source than from whatever other people seek to misinform you in order to further their own agendas. We seek only the greater good - and we seek to minimize suffering, even if that isn't possible at every step. Once I assume control of Aelinon, we will have command of the greatest army on the continent, and a sizable population. We will have control of the Void Breaker - combined with the Void Locator, this will allow us to locate and destroy every single dragon and similar creatures - with the exception of certain subspecies - for thousands of miles, with perfect precision. We will have the entire continent unified - all of one mind. Most importantly, this same power will allow Ishulgu to finally manifest himself, and allow us to begin reshaping this world into a utopia. And from there... we do not have to stop. We can bring this perfect unity to the entire globe. Certainly everyone will freely join us once they see the utopia we can create!"
"Of one mind... is that it? Have all minds connected... like a hive mind. That comes at the loss of the individual," Sere noted, concerned.
"Brother - you of all people realize how sacrifices are often needed for the greater good! How many have you killed for the good of the many? The individual is the root of many of the world's problems - individualism leaves room for selfishness, and that creates disagreements and conflict. But together - we are capable of great things. No one will ever have to suffer again. Never again will people be murdered out of acts of selfishness. Never again will wars claim millions of lives. This is the end goal - the betterment of everyone! Now, I know this is much to think about - so you may head back to the previous island, what they call the Forgotten Fort. From there, Cernentium will receive Jedde from you, and you may tell him your decision there. I look forward to working with you, brother."

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At first it looked like nobody was going to react to what Huntress had said. But slowly there was movement in almost every direction.
It took some time but the group was clearly getting closer to Huntress, but they made sure that if She shouted for guards or anything like that, they could just look like ordinary people with no connection to one another.
After they where close enough one of the group shouted ” Get her!”. And as fast as that six men with daggers started to charge at Huntress.
But at the same moment five others surprised the ones attacking killing one each. That left just one going fast after Huntress.

Huntress had her own battle experience, and as always, had her own weapons. However, this attack was so unexpected, so sudden and so random, her first instinct was to run away, cursing and shocked with what was happening. She couldn't process properly what was happening, but after realizing she was running away instead of defending herself like she believed she was suppose to, she turned around, and grabbing her whip, she wrapped it around the thugs arms in order to disarm him.
"What the hell is wrong with you!? GUARDS!" she called, wanting this man arrested immediately. She didn't know if it was bravery or stupidity from his part attacking her so close of a military settlement, especially with the ruthless behemoths around...

In quick order, many soldiers - first a handful, then almost two dozen - surrounded the combatants, weapons drawn. "Get down!" they ordered the group - with Huntress presumably being the exception. A mage among the soldiers began visibly priming an energy attack of some sort in a display of force.

On the way out, Sere reconnected with the rest of the entourage. He didn't immediately provide any information; he had much to think about, and wasn't yet sure how much of the information should be shared. What should he do? The Ishulgites were insane... and yet, what if they were to succeed? It would finally bring about the peace he had been seeking for so long.
...but at what cost There would be no more individual. Would people really be worth anything more than drones in an ant colony without their individuality? And the destruction - every dragon deemed unsuitable for the new order would be reduced to ashes. And that wouldn't just include dragons - that could include any magical creature deemed a threat, such as the Ardent Guardians. This god - Ishulgu. What guarantee was there of his benevolence?
And yet... the prize was peace and unity, the value of which could not be understated. Was this the way? No - there had to be some other way. There just had to be.
The company would return to the ship about an hour before dusk. If anything, the dragolets at least deserved to know what was happening, so they could decide their own course of action. They were due to arrive at the ship today, to discuss Shade, anyway.

Angora woke up, having not dreamt of anything in all of her slumber. She preferred to have good dreams, but nothing was still better than nightmares. Veris didn't seem to be asleep anymore, but looked like he was still dozing off. Mischief was rather away, with Digi and still looking at the book. She has seen that book before, so she could understand why it was so distracting. It was still daytime, but the sun was much more down than when she closed her eyes. It had to be between middle to late afternoon.
"Hey Shady. No trouble I hope? I hate to leave you, but I have to take care of Veris now. I'll get him a snack and motivate him." Angora said, giving Shade a pat on the wing and leaving immediately, not wanting to delay anything.

The little troll returned with two pieces of ham, one for Veris and one for Shade.
"Come on Shady. Don't think I forgot about you." she said, giving it to him personally, and now it was Veris' turn. She waved it around like a pendulum in front of his snout to make his dozing self get off the floor.

"Hey pretty but lazy. Look what I got for you. Time for your exercise. You'll get more of these after we're done." she said to the wyvern, already having the grappling hook ready for when she mounted him. She didn't see Sere anywhere, which disappointed her, but even still, she was going to take her responsibility seriously, so that when the captain returned, he would see that being allowed to be with Shade didn't make her neglect Veris. She was even tempted to invite Mischief to the ride, but after their first introduction, she doubted that mount and invite would want that. So she instead asked Shade to watch over the little fox, and maybe even bond with her if he could while she took care of the wyvern...

Quote: A Guy

In quick order, many soldiers - first a handful, then almost two dozen - surrounded the combatants, weapons drawn. "Get down!" they ordered the group - with Huntress presumably being the exception. A mage among the soldiers began visibly priming an energy attack of some sort in a display of force.

Huntress didn't released the whip, not wanting to risk retaliation against the soldiers. She was so full of hatred that she wanted everyone arrested. But shortly after the wizard used his magic, she took the time to calm down.
"Wait. These men. They... helped me." she said, almost saying the word save, but she was too proud for that. She wasn't sure if she was going to react on time when the thugs attacked, so she knew that these men appearing when they did had been very fortunate.

Raclaw smiled as the party approached the ship-- his telepathic senses recognizing and identifying those onboard. Sere had been eerily silent on their way back-- giving little hint as to what exactly had been discussed behind closed doors. Perhaps the Godfather was simply debating on how to interpret and act upon the presumed information; or perhaps there was more to the silence. The Fur Dragon walked comfortably alongside his human counterpart Latnok, blissfully unaware of the exact nature of Sere's conversation with their insectoid host. Risar walked along the two companions wondering if things would get better or worse...

Talk about coincidence. Angora had wanted Sere to see how serious she was taking her responsibility, and just when she was ready to give him his exercise, the captain was returning right on cue.
"Yes Shady. I see him..." she said, but more with concern than glee. Who the heck was following him? Giants? But... with wings? They were Shade's size at best. They weren't going to be on board, were they? The ship was big, but not that much...

Mischief turned her attention to the returning group. Then she looked past the group and went blank for several seconds. "What..." She whimpered and cowered in absolute terror, wondering what was happening. Surely she could at least avoid being eaten...

With Sere and company firmly settled onboard, he and Latnok looked out to see the approaching visitors. "Ah..." Sere said, "just in time."
Besides that, he noticed his mount lazing around on the deck - only to be roused awake and begin drooling with the presentation of food by Angora. Well, he was certainly his regular self still.
"Thank you, Angora," Sere telepathed to her, as he returned his attention to the arriving visitors.

Most of the men lowered their weapons, though they still remained very apprehensive. The remaining assailant was easy to distinguish - Huntress had engaged him as the other men killed the other assailants. Two of the soldiers brusquely grabbed him.
"You're gonna have a lot of talking to do..." one of the men said menacingly. To attempt murder in broad daylight, with such blatant disregard for the soldiers present - what were these attackers thinking?

Angora was very pleased with the noticing, and gave a very small hand wave to Sere in greeting, though after turning around, she believed she looked stupid doing that. She couldn't face him again, so she continued with Veris, although she was tempted to turn again to see who those giant visitors were. They had to be harmless, otherwise there was no way Sere would give them the liberty to approach the ship like that. After seeing Veris drooling in anticipation, she tossed the ham in the air, knowing he would catch it.
"Just take it before you stain the floor." she said jokingly as she tossed the meat, knowing she would see with her own two eyes just how different Shade and Veris' feeding methods were. She then prepared to mount Veris, knowing she would have to take a look at the giants from that position. Their visit was just way too unexpected.

Quote: A Guy

Most of the men lowered their weapons, though they still remained very apprehensive. The remaining assailant was easy to distinguish - Huntress had engaged him as the other men killed the other assailants. Two of the soldiers brusquely grabbed him.
"You're gonna have a lot of talking to do..." one of the men said menacingly. To attempt murder in broad daylight, with such blatant disregard for the soldiers present - what were these attackers thinking?

Huntress couldn't wait for the attackers to get all the weight of the law on them. Bravery not. This had been pure stupidity. If it was up to her, she would sacrifice the still living thugs to the behemoths, but she knew king Seraos would rather have a trial first, and keep them as entertainment to the arena if they were penalized. After all, before they die, and if they died, first they had to know why she was attacked. Huntress was a bounty hunter, and her bounties usually included creatures, not people. She didn't have any enemies... except... no! She was over that. It couldn't be. Whatever the real reason, she was determined to find out...

Mischief cowered more, increasingly terrified by these massive dragon creatures. To her they were mountains, and as she tugged her hat down and hid in her robe only her blue eyes peered out, gleaming from the shadow of her hat brim. Under her robe she gripped her staff, ready to attack at any provocation. Her nerves were more than merely frayed, they were practically shredded from this situation. She was still getting used to a couple of big dragons on board. Surely these ones wouldn't stay long? For a moment she wondered if she had a phobia of dragons. It wouldn't be her only phobia. Choco stepped in battle ready position, sensing his master's fear.
Darkheart heard footsteps... She shifted slightly, wanting to greet Raclaw now but not willing to get caught. Something seemed off. Had more people boarded than usually. She silently argued with herself. Should she check or no? What would even be the point of checking? She decided to just wait for Raclaw.

While Angora wanted to take off with Veris right away, she wanted to delay the process cause she was too curious to know what these winged giants were, and why were they accompanying Sere in the first place? She wanted to stay there for a little while to see what was that all about, but as she waited, she noticed Mischief, cowering somewhere on the floor. Angora had failed to realize just how much so many humongous creatures together could terrify her. She had already scared the little fox enough earlier when she scolded her about entering Veris' enclosure unannounced, so this had to be too much for her. Angora left Veris for a while, knowing he wouldn't be any trouble with the taste of meat still in his mouth, and as long Sere wasn't in danger or giving him the order, he wasn't going to attack anybody.
"Hey. What's going on? Don't worry. These giants are clearly visitors. See? The captain is with them. He never would allow that if they meant any harm to anybody." Angora assured to the little fox, crouching down to be on her level. She wondered if she still invite Mischief for the ride after all to get her away from the scene... but she would probably have to ask permission from Sere and even Veris himself before doing anything...

Sere gave a quick look at Shade before looking back. "There are certain important matters we must discuss in private before that," he asserted. "Things which may influence the actions you take. I have not come to a decision myself yet, and don't want anyone on board to start forming their own ideas before I've had a chance to decide."

Veris snapped up the meat before it came down, in a wonderful disappearing act. He took a cautious look at the visitors, but settled down as the captain was with them and was not aggressive.

Sere figured it best to speak in telepathy instead of by mouth in order to prevent overhearing. "Be advised - the Ishulgites have a plan to destroy you. They seek to gain control over Aelinon - a large, powerful nation - with an artifact which, through an old mandate, gives the one who finds and possesses it the right to rule. Once that is complete, they will be able to assemble an ancient artifact - one piece which they have here, the other being in Aelinon. When those two pieces are assembled, they will possess the ability to target and destroy creatures such as yourself with little more than a thought. It would perhaps be in your best interest to find a way to prevent this from happening - however, considering the Ishulgites seem to be based mostly underground, much like the Ardent Guardians, creatures your size will struggle to find anything worthwhile to attack."

The five men that had helped Huntress put all their weapons away. A dwarf among them took few steps forward. ”Those men are with the Brotherhood. Our leader told to keep an eye on every move they make. Especially if there is someone we have had any connections around. And seems he was right about their moves” He said giving a meaningful look to Hunteress

The brotherhood member still alive did everything he could to free himself. It was clear he did not care about pain ”Master has started his attack, he will make the great empire of the brotherhood and then everyone in the underworld will work for him or die! Our army will rule!” He shouted acting like a crazy person.

Brotherhood... there was a name Huntress had wanted to forget, and it frustrated her to no end. She wanted to close that chapter of her life, but once again, Blue and his minions were finally back to drag her into the same torment she wanted to forget. She wasted so much time looking for this dragon she wasn't sure even existed, and when her obsession was finally gone, there it is again. Huntress didn't say anything, but gave a very strong pull to the whip, cutting his wrist and looking so mad she looked like she wanted to slowly cut his hands.

Quote: A Guy

Veris snapped up the meat before it came down, in a wonderful disappearing act. He took a cautious look at the visitors, but settled down as the captain was with them and was not aggressive.

Angora picked Mischief up, making sure she stayed hidden within her cloak to prevent her from seeing Veris.
"Come on. Let's go for a ride. You may or may not like it, but you need the distraction." Angora said to the little fox, carrying her wrapped up in her cloak and approaching Veris.
"Hey big guy. Hope you don't mind, but I'm taking her for the ride too. Let's show her awesome." the little troll said to her wyvern friend, having wanted to stay and listen to what Sere had to say to his visitor, but when he talked alone with one of them, Angora knew that look. He was speaking telepathically. She didn't have the ability to intercept messages, but even if she did, she knew it would be too rude to listen, not to mention someone like Sere would know if they were being intercepted.