darkSpyro

Latnok, bringing the sailor out onto the deck, had to spend some time to find Sere - the old Guardian could be anywhere, with how much he was trying to supervise at once. Of course. He would be by one of the lightning rods.
Not long after, Latnok had the prisoner in front of Sere, making last-minute inspections to a lightning rod. "Here's the traitor, as you requested, Godfather Sere," Latnok said to Sere.
"Good. Call some men over and tie him up to the rod," Sere ordered. "Then pour brine on him. I'll call everyone over as the ship moves out. That will show them what can happen to them should they choose to rebel and the lightning rods fail once I'm dead along with a good many of them."
"I can do that, but... may I make a suggestion?"
Sere was rather curious as to what Latnok could possibly have to suggest. Latnok wasn't one to pity others - so it would probably be practical. "What is it?" Sere asked.
"Well, for one, most on the deck are much too afraid of you after what happened - this man just disappeared in front of their eyes as he spoke about mutiny. They all fear what can happen to them with the mere mention of mutiny."
Sere raised an eyebrow. "Interesting... what about it?"
"During the storm," Latnok said, "repairs will undoubtedly be needed on deck. And this will very likely be a very dangerous, potentially lethal undertaking. Rather than waste this man and have to volunteer some other innocent crew member, I suggest we 'volunteer' this man to assist me in performing these repairs, as we were planning to do with the three men still in the brig. I think the men on board are afraid enough of what just happened to potentially make this the more practical option. Just a suggestion - I will do whatever you command me to."
Sere lowered his head - and by how low he kept it and how static it was, his weariness was very clear. What to do...
"Very well. Throw him back into the brig for now. He'll help out in the worst of the storm when it comes." Sere gave the sailor a harsh, condemning glare. "Consider yourself that your companions are much more sensible than you are, and that my second-in-command has deemed you of some use still. Leave us be."
Latnok brought the sailor back with him, the exchange being done. Despite still being very, very concerned, the sailor felt much better about his future than he did in just that moment, when his execution seemed imminent. Soon, the two were back at the brig, and Latnok escorted the sailor in.

Angora was surprised to see the sailor in one piece, but the three companions were instead happy and Sand Dune gave him a big hand shake.
"Welcome back lad. Close call, eh? Oh, unless... well if they're just postponing it? Oh but don't listen to my ramble. Whatever it is, there's something that can still be done, no? We shall make the most of the extra precious time." he said most ecstatically, with Angora wondering where this man was getting so much optimism. He really reminded her so much of Maverick, and wondered which one of the two would win in a contest of positivism.

The spirit responded to not only Sere's response, but his thoughts. I see you agree with my assessment, even if you dislike my solution... Hahaha... Oh well. Not everyone thinks the same way. But we both crave control, don't we? It's the one thing we agree on. The spirit's tone was almost... Wistful? I've done things to maintain my power, which are what led me to be sealed away like this. But it's too late to change it. I'm an old spirit, set in my ways. It would take centuries to break my old habits, change the way I do things.
Darkheart pulled her head up and nodded, not questioning the stranger. She sits up, paying close attention.
Djinn shivered, feeling the spirit even as far apart as they were.

The sailor was finally able to look up, as Latnok left. He carefully reciprocated the handshake. "So, uh, basically, the human second-in-command convinced the captain that executing me wasn't necessary, since the others are all scared after I vanished just for mentioning mutiny. They were going to tie me to a lightning rod and soak me in brine, and make the others watch as the ship headed out to the storm... Instead, I'm going to be 'volunteered', as well as the three of you, to help him do repairs on deck in the more dangerous parts of the storm," he said, indicating the three former pirates. "It's... it's not perfect, but it's better than nothing, I guess..."

"You know, it'll also take you a long time to ever get out of that bottle," Sere replied. "I seek control as a means to keep us focused on the mission, to get as many of us out of here as possible. You seek it simply as a means to power, a way to oppress the weak. Pleasing yourself at the expense of others. Those are not things I can condone. Whatever this endgame is, if it's something that poses a greater threat to the many, then it will be dealt with."
Sere gave a quick walk-around once more, confirming that preparations were complete. Giving the order, the anchor was pulled, and the ship set out once more.

The insectoid man tapped the road they were on with his staff. "You are seeking a mate you just lost, no? We can help you meet with him again. You would be on a group of islands in the middle of a storm. We can bring you there quickly and safely. All we ask is that you pledge your allegiance to us once you arrive." The priest gave Darkheart an expectant look.

The spirit laughed. A fair point... What was your name again? Sere? You have something I tend to lack: a focus on others. I "oppress", as you put it, simply because I put my goals ahead of the weak. But at this point I'm left to wonder if it would have been more effective to work WITH others than try to hold them under my thumb, so to speak. After all, you're right. I'm trapped in here, and I suppose it was arrogance that became my undoing. By the way... Have you any idea where my physical form is? I can't sense him anywhere near. I hope he didn't die. He's too lacking in wisdom for his own good. Though, considering my own predicament, I'm not really one to talk, am I? The spirit's laughter boomed.
Darkheart nodded again, agreeing to the terms laid out. She bowed low, respectfully.

At Redwater, the war seemed to be getting worse. The people were very restless, and the city was almost out of soldiers. Huntress would ocasionally volunteer to take care of a few behemoths from the pens given many of their caretakers were away. Her time with Dex had been brief but very tense. They had returned to the lake where she met those three men, but they were nowhere to be found. The duo searched for and wide for them, but everything was futile. Having gotten her message, a few Aelinonian soldiers had shown up to see if Huntress was alright, but when she assured them she was fine, they left. She didn't want Aelinon involved in this any longer. They had enough problems on their own. For the next few days, Huntress drifted between voluntarily with the behemoth and searching for Blue and the three men, but the latter proved to be futile, to the point Huntress even started to wonder if the dragon existed and if this had been a humongous waste of time.

Today, Huntress is still with her voluntary work, still taking bounty hunting jobs from time to time and still contacting Dex for new jobs. Blue, if he existed, hasn't threatened her or Aelinon so far, so as long as it remained that way, she was willing to abandon that quest. If the dragon wanted to contact her, she told Dex to come to her directly. No more hiding or talking to her through someone else. If he was really that interested in her, he would come to her personally. She was very tired of this wild goose chase. For now, the most important thing was to help Redwater in this dastard war.

Quote: A Guy

The sailor was finally able to look up, as Latnok left. He carefully reciprocated the handshake. "So, uh, basically, the human second-in-command convinced the captain that executing me wasn't necessary, since the others are all scared after I vanished just for mentioning mutiny. They were going to tie me to a lightning rod and soak me in brine, and make the others watch as the ship headed out to the storm... Instead, I'm going to be 'volunteered', as well as the three of you, to help him do repairs on deck in the more dangerous parts of the storm," he said, indicating the three former pirates. "It's... it's not perfect, but it's better than nothing, I guess..."

The Pirates were rather discouraged to hear they would need to do repairs again, but that was still slightly better than being cooped up in there.
"Well, it's better than nothing like you said my friend. And at least you still got your life. All thanks to the cute little lassie here that helped convince that Mr. Latnok." Sand Dune said, with the others agreeing, and looking at Angora. While Angora wanted to be flattered, something the sailor said was bothering her.
"Wait... you, and you three, will leave for repairs? Then... I'll be here all alone..." Angora realized, saddened. She, Sand Dune and Opium, asides from that sailor, were the only ones in that particular cell, and with a time for her release still uncertain, she was going to be all alone in that cold place.
"Oh... well, at least you'll have some you time. That often helps many people. Besides, that's too much hard work and you deserve better. Here. Take my cards. They'll keep you entertained while we're away." Sand Dune said warmly, finally letting a smile out of Angora. He and his friends really made her time in prison so much better.

As Raclaw briefly distracted himself by playing with Chester-- he could feel both his own feelings and someone else's feeling of grief. 'Shade...,' he thought as he could feel the dragolet's doubts at Maverick's being alive. Raclaw own feelings could be felt as well, that of Darkheart who seemed to hold a very special connection in his mind and heart. Although in his case.. he at least had a better chance at finding the one he was after. Chester whined and comforted the fur dragon, sensing his best friend's 'feelings' in his own special canine way. He could tell even if he and Raclaw usually didn't share minds.

The priest beckoned for Darkheart to follow. "Come along now," he said, beginning to lead the way. "Anyone else who wants to come along is free to, as well. From out of the city, we will be moving to a quick transportation network which will allow us to get to our destination quickly."

Back within Silvianesti, more and more elves were beginning to congregate at the various new churches which had sprung up. Just recently, in Rattlesnake Overpass, there had been a long, hard-fought battle - though Silvianesti held the line for a very long time, inflicting significant casualties, the experience and pure tenacity of Aelinon allowed them to overcome the enemy.
The elves had deployed their wood spirit golems - constructs assembled from trees grown from fallen elves. They were the spirit of many elves, given corporeal form and capable of powerful magic. Though they managed to kill a behemoth during the battle, he Silvianestian forces were overrun, with the defensive force being completely wiped out - horseback archers deftly tore apart the routed elves as they attempted to escape.
Many, having lost their family members and friends, had fallen into despair and were beginning to look to some sort of faith. There was word of one who could help them in particular - an elf had given them hope.
"My brothers and sisters!" he called out in the church. "King Glaveilio has left us to die, for the sake of preserving his own name! He has sent our brothers and sisters, and our sons and daughters to die! The enemy will not stop until we are completely eradicated!
"But there is hope yet. Today, we will be blessed - by a god who seeks to serve the people! He is not one who would have the people cower in fear to him and bring him offerings - he seeks to better all of our lives, to have us live life as best we could! Tonight, we will end this farce of government - and we will begin to take back our country!"

The ship had set out once again. As soon as the ship was clear of the safety of the cove, rain and lightning began to pour down like it was making up for all of the lost time. Sere ordered all non-essential personnel off-deck - that did not happen to include Leoquin and Latnok at the moment. Latnok was glad, at least, that Ilasi was left back - she was still distraught, all of these days later, and had almost no will to do anything.

Angora took Sand Dune's cards, knowing she had to become creative if she wanted to entertain herself with a simple set of cards. The sailor and the three men were seemingly waiting for Latnok to open that door at any moment to claim them and leave her alone. While she wasn't looking forward to being just her in that cell, not only did she had the cards now, she also still had the orb, and despite her new friends never questioning why she retreated into her hood to mumble something apparently to herself, it was still nevertheless a rather uncomfortable scenario. If she was left alone, she could speak a little more freely to the stranger, though she had nothing to talk about except ask for Maverick. While the stranger never really answered her question as usual, he still gave her a strong hint that he was still alive. She worried about Shade though. He probably believed Maverick was dead given the circumstances he was taken in, and since she was in that prison, she couldn't console him. What was worse, even if she was released, she doubted she would be allowed to spend time with him like before, so once again, her only hope was for the stranger of the orb to help them overcome the mileage of limitations and misery caused by such a constant chain of bad luck and tragedy ever since that fateful day in Redwater.

"Shade...," Raclaw telepathically responded. He knew what feelings were going through his head and that the dragolet had no doubt felt them. He hadn't told anyone of him/Darkheart before Sere threw her off and now he was realising that perhaps he should have. Maybe then, Darkheart would still be here and the two wouldn't had been separated. "You know-- don't you?," he responded to Shade in a sad tone. Rain had began to pour and he/Chester had briefly found cover on the deck as the larger fur dragon stared out onto the sea just a little longer. The original structure had been partly damaged over time, but it was mostly still servable as *some* protection against the rain.

"Yes-- I can feel you. I'm sorry Shade. I.. I wish things could've had gone better.," Raclaw responded telepathically to Shade.

Darkheart willingly followed the priest, out of simple desperation. Djinn shuddered as he and Grace passed them. The Hoopa looked back to see. "Grace..." He whispered, "Isn't that the dragoness Darkheart? Who's she following?"
Star moved quickly, rushing towards the center of the storm as quickly as he could. The Zoroark only wanted to avenge the men his hasty, careless outburst had led to the death of. Human or not, they were innocents.

Hours passed, and the wind and lightning of the storm only seemed to get more severe. Very, very far off in the distance, however, one could make out the end of the storm clouds.
Latnok kept a sharp eye out for potential threats, as much as he could. The lightning rods groaned as the winds began to wear at them - and suddenly, the rain was replaced by hail. There was definitely going to be a need for repairs.
Hail was the last thing Leoquin was expecting. He wasn't equipped for it; he would have to retreat into the ship to find appropriate gear for it.

In Redwater, Huntress was in a bar, drinking some margarita that the owner invited her to. The place was eerily empty, with some soldiers and gentlemen forced to the war on a minor break. She and a waitress were the only women there. It was a time of misery for the city. Men, and sometimes women were forced to participate in the war when extra power was needed. Galuds were relentless in their quest to find new recruits, whether they wanted to or not. Huntress was spared from going to war cause of her influence and because she was more useful for other kinds of tasks. It was a gloomy time for their beloved city. Huntress was afraid that even the children were being recruited. While she believed the extinction of a species was going too far, as her beloved king's decision and she was going to respect that. She wished the Silvianesti could be eradicated already so this dreadful war could be over.

As the rain continued to pour-- Raclaw decided to keep himself busy by staying out on deck (albeit partly covered) and using his senses to help aide Latnok. A wing would provide complete cover for Chester; the little Beagle not wanting to leave his fur dragon friend and master. At the very least, the activity would serve as distract to thinking about Darkheart and his enhanced senses would help provide warning *should* something try to approach the ship again. He would also occasionally comfort Shade via their shared connection and telepathy. "It's alright-- you did what you could. We all did what we could. And it's possible that he's still out there somewhere, perhaps captured and still alive.," he telepathically comforted the grieving Dragolet. He smiled looking at Latnok, knowing that the beloved Guardian would at least never leave him. Loyalty was certainly one of Latnok's strong suits... loyalty to his crew, friends, and closest companions. Elsewhere on deck, Risar kept an watch out as the large minotaur managed the crew.

"Same with Darkheart, but I know our situations aren't the same.," Raclaw telepathically responded as he looked out onto the stormy ocean. Thanks to the Guardians and past adventures-- both he and Shade had now found others they wouldn't want to be separated from. He had Latnok, while Shade had Angora. He had Chester, while Shade had the also 'fluffy' Maverick whom was now missing. And then there was Darkheart. "Darkheart...," his thoughts transmitted. He had never expected to find love so soon and yet-- he had. Darkheart was PERFECT and she was even accepting of Latnok. And now the two dragons were mates... separated mates. But at least he knew that Darkheart was alive. "Shade-- I really do hope you find him again. You're a family.. you deserve each other.," he then said as Chester rubbed up against Raclaw comforting him.

"It's not a problem. Thank you for listening and for always being there in my thoughts.," Raclaw responded actually appreciating the shared connection they had at times. It wasn't always easy and their worst moments would often affect the other, but it did also help at times. He was a fur dragon lucky enough to have the mental support of multiple people-- rather it be Latnok, Shade, or even someone like Damon. He knew that he would never be alone in his thoughts again, but at the same time.. he didn't want to be alone.

As the ship proceeded, the wind and hail only became worse. Up above, at the top of one of the lightning rods, a creaking sound could be heard loudening. Sere had a very good idea of what was coming next.
"Latnok," he called. "Get a replacement orb and storm paste, and get those volunteers. The orb on one of those rods is likely to break off, and we need to be ready to patch it up as soon as possible. As soon as those lightning rods go down, we're done."
"I'll get right to that, Godfather Sere," Latnok replied. He would have to make a brief search to find the components he needed.

Back at Redwater, soldiers continued to march the streets, staying wary of any potential hazards. The enemy hasn't tried anything this deep into their territory yet, but nothing said that they wouldn't start now. The smithies toiled day in and day out to get the equipment necessary, as old, worn-out gear came in for repairs. Many soldiers and civilians were moved to border towns like Orcford to supplement the efforts there - for the most part, the government and military tried to keep the war out of Redwater.

Then came the moment Angora feared, Latnok coming for the sailor and three former pirates. Despite being really below deck, she could hear the storm pouring from there. Sand Dune and his friends gave her a fist bump before he left, having grown really fond of her. The sailor however, seemed skeptical to do the same even after she had practically saved his life. Angora dismissed him quickly to avoid him from wasting any more time think if he should do it or not.

Now alone in the cell, Angora went to her corner, petting the orb to feel some sense of security. The stranger had told her to remain there so that she could be safe, but she was sick and tired of being locked up. Orcford had locked her up, Redwater had locked her up and forced her to fight in some awful arena, some random water dragon had locked her up, and now the Guardians, whom she believed for a tiny moment she could befriend in their second encounter, had also put her away. It wasn't motivational to know everywhere you go you'd be treated like a criminal and locked up in some ugly cell like an unredeemable prisoner or a wild animal. The thoughts really frustrated Angora, and started to wonder what Orion thought about all of this IF he was seeing everything. Has she really done so wrong to deserve being locked up all those times? With the exception of the water dragon, she had been imprisoned under criminal charges, which was almost starting to make her believe she could never do better. Once again, only the stranger from the orb, and the possibility of Maverick still being alive.

Latnok came over with a large magical orb of some kind, some rough gloves, and some leather armor. "You four, put all this stuff on," he ordered them, as he tossed the gear in. "It's hailing outside. Men inside are on watch for holes or dents should the hail intensify. Meanwhile, we're going to get a lightning rod repaired. We're done if all three go out. Try not to get swept away or take a huge hailstone to the throat while we're out there. Move it, now." Latnok urged the men on as they donned their gear; they had little time to waste.

Sand Dune, Random and Opium obeyed without hesitation. They weren't being very enthusiastic about working on such poor conditions, but it wasn't the first time they did, and it was still nice to be outside that cell and do something useful, though they felt a little bad for Angora being all alone in there. But at least she was spared this rough work, so that was better than being there with them.

Angora remained in her corner, trying to entertain herself with Sand Dune's cards, but her mind wasn't in a creative position. She wanted to talk to the red orb, but she wasn't in the mood to hear the stranger's vague responses to her question. Boredom soon turned into sleepiness, and before long, she closed her eyes, entering a deep yet oddly comfortable sleep. Despite everything that has happened, she had spend that journey without any dreams or nightmares... until...

Angora woke up in a wasteland, and she suddenly saw a behemoth walking towards her, only this time, she wasn't afraid. If the behemoth wanted a fight, she would do it to the death... but when the beast approached, it turned out to be Gregor. She was rather happy to see him... but then, the giant collapsed right in front of her, his skin vanishing until he was nothing but a skeleton. She found to her horror that this wasteland was full of skeletons, behemoths, humans, merpeople and even galuds. A closer look, and the place was full of dark colored dragons. And not just any dragons; dragolets. It didn't take Angora long to realize... this was Redwater. Or what was left of it. Then a dragolet approached her; Shade's mother.
"Hello Angora. This place is a mess, isn't it? But don't worry. We'll fix it." Zera had said, horrifying Angora.
"You!? You... you destroyed this city?" Angora asked accusingly yet nervously, but Zera shook her head fast.
"Heavens no little troll. We're not monsters. Redwater destroyed itself. That poor, young, silly king. Obsessed with the eradication of species and conquering places. Soon all of Aelinon followed. Poor humans too cocky and power hungry to control themselves. They brought their own misery. Even Orion gave up on them and abandoned them. We just took what remained as a home, and we're going to build it for all dragolets to live in peace." Zera explained calmly, acting very patient about Angora and even giving her a tour. She could see the burned buildings and very little remains of the people that lived there. Nothing was recognizable. Angora was soon met by a flying dragolet. It was Shade, clad in some fine armor and grown, to the point he was bigger than his own mother. Most of his armor looked familiar.
"Those colors... that's... human armor..." Angora started to say, when Shade grabbed her rather violently to hug her.
"Hey Angora! Come on, is that a way to greet a friend?" he asked, while painfully showing affection
"That armor Shade... those are Sere and Latnok's armors, aren't they?" Angora theorized, and it turned out she was correct.
"Yes they are. They look better on me, doesn't it? When Orion got tired of their power abuse, he stopped providing all the magic and resources they used. They soon became just like any other humans, so I ate them in revenge. Raclaw took it very hard, but I know he'll thank me one day. At least now, nobody will ever bother us again, not them, not Aelinon." Shade explained coldly, with Angora beyond horrified by what he has done.
"You... you did WHAT!? Shade, that WASN'T what you were suppose to do! I... I also wanted peace, but this, THIS wasn't the way. Now their last memory of you is you being a monster!" Angora scolded, but Shade grasped her in frustration.
"So what? They were desperate to see me as a monster, so I fulfilled their last wish! They're dead now, so it doesn't matter what they think of me..." Shade explained indifferently again, but Angora was left afraid of him. She dreaded to ask the next question.
"Maverick? Where's Maverick? What happened to him?" she asked, when Shade lead her to a cage located in his mother's room. He was in there, as pale as a corpse and not recognizing them. He looked middle aged.
"Our Maverick became a shell of his former self. Ilasi couldn't stand him being friends with us, so she dumped him, leaving him a broken man. Those people from the island couldn't help him either. And I use to like that mermaid too. But one day I'll find her... and make her pay." Shade said menacingly, and Angora had enough. She couldn't stand what her now former friend has become. She managed to free herself, and was more than willing to run away when Zera stopped her.
"And where do you think you're going? Little troll, I am very grateful for what you did for my son in the past. But right now, you can't leave. You can never leave. Once a dragolet likes you, you belong to them forever. Try to run away... well, I'd hate for something to happen to that hairy human of yours. He's so adorable too." Zera said, actually threatening to kill Maverick if Angora tried to escape.
"And of course, there's also the hole..." Zera then added, which Angora later learned that it was just that. A hole filled with the survivors of the war, as well as cattle. They were the dragolet's main food source. This was it for Angora. She had Maverick and Shade. And no Guardians or Aelinon to separate them, but she and the hybrid, they were permanent prisoners of the very creature they have defended so much.

Back in her cell, Angora woke up wimpering and almost crying. This wasn't like any of the nightmares she's had before, yet this was the most disturbing one of all. That couldn't happen, could it? Was that a possible future or a result of her own paranoia? Shade's mother was out there, and doing nothing for his predicament. Shade was still being reprimanded for what happened in Redwater, still being treated as a monster despite his hard attempts to control and redeem himself. Now Angkra feared he might turn into one if he was continued being treated in such a way. And she was still inside that cell, unable to do anything. Wanting some consolation, she turned to the orb.
"I... I don't know how, or WHY you want to help me... but... I thank you. You're my... our only hope now." she said to the stranger, hugging the orb in order to console herself. She didn't care if the stranger answered her or not. Even long before he used it as a communicator, the red sphere had provided the lonely troll with the security and comfort she lacked for most of her life.

Back on the deck, the hail would wear away at anything not sturdy enough to resist it, as the ship groaned more and more with the increasing winds. Latnok brought the men to the broken lightning rod, hail harassing them on the way there as the boat rocked.
"Okay, here's the deal," Latnok said, as the ship rocked back and forth in the strong waves. "We're all going to climb up there. I'll have the new orb brought up when I reach the top. We'll get up there, one of you will knock off the old one, I'll secure the new one, and you'll help me spread the storm paste. This is incredibly dangerous, so try not to fall off - no one will save you in this weather." Latnok began, climbing up the rungs as the new orb hung, tied down tight in a rope knot.

Latnok's orders were nothing new for the three former pirates. The hail hit hard, so they kept their heads down to avoid any injuries to the face. Opium, who was the biggest, or rather, the less skinny, volunteered to knock off the old orbs, while the other two assisted him and helped him receive as less impact of the storm as possible. It was an arduous job, but maybe after a task like this, they could win their freedom like several other men on that ship.

In a dark corner of an enclosure, a certain buffalo lied down in despair. She could sense it. She could sense Maverick's absence. Dahlia had spent the last couple of days cooped up in her enclosure, barely eating and refusing Ilasi's offer to give her some excercise. The animal knew there was a storm outside, but while she would be nervous in a time like that, all she did was sulk in misery, not so unlike the imprisoned troll not too very far from there. All the dirt buffalo could think was that she should've been there to protect her rider. Maverick was such a gentle idiot, she knew he would've been easy prey for almost any animal. But now he was gone, and the dirt buffalo blamed no one but herself. She firmly believed she wouldn't see dear Maverick ever again.

As the hail began to fall-- the already partly damaged structure that was providing him/Chester shelter wouldn't hold forever and was already receiving damage from the icy storm. "Raclaw.. can we go inside, please?," Chester asked looking up from underneath Raclaw's wing. Raclaw nodded and carefully led Chester to the door leading down to their cabin. "Latnok-- we're going inside. I'll still be awake in case you need me.," he telecommunicated with Latnok as he and Chester proceeded inside. He would still keep his senses open in case anything such as the masterminds approached the ship.

As the four men climbed towards the top of the lightning rod, a massive wave caused a heavy rocking of the ship, altering its balance. Latnok held on tightly to a rung with one hand as he fought to maintain his holding and balance on the unstable ship. He could only pray that the others would be so lucky, as the hail was slowly but surely becoming larger.

Meanwhile, on a calm, peaceful island, a tree root sprouted from the ground in an isolated grotto. Peeling open, it would release the sleeping Maverick before retreating back into the ground, leaving no trace of its existence. There would be no shore in the immediately invisible area; any shore on this island would take some exploring from Maverick's point of origin to find.

Sere had much to think about, with how many issues there would be to address at once. Men below the deck were standing by, patching up holes as the hail continued to wear away at the ship.
"Your body is somewhere it will never threaten me or my men," Sere answered the spirit, as he put his full focus on keeping the boat steady for now. He would need to have faith in his men to do what needed to be done.

As Sere worked on that, Latnok began to put the orb in place, as the volunteers applied the "storm paste". One area... then another...
All of a sudden, the boat heaved as a massive wave became apparent, like nature itself was trying to erase them. There was little Sere could do, except shield himself; he hastily ordered Leoquin behind him. Even if the merman could survive the water, he could get lost for an unfathomable amount of time.
Latnok also had to brace himself; with force magic, he was able to deflect the worst of the wave from hitting him, though he had to hang on for dear life and hold his breath at the very end. The other men with him would not be so lucky.

As Sere struggled against the waves, he could feel he was losing something. Whatever it was, he would have to check as soon as he had the chance...

As the boat rocked-- Risar was still on deck trying to keep crew orderly. One of the crew members almost fell overboard when Risar tried to grab them... and they instead found themselves hanging onto one of Risar's rather large horns. The large minotaur had managed to brace onto a sturdy part of the ship, saving both himself the poor man hanging onto him for dear life. "Hehe.. sorry.," the crew member managed to mutter as stared awkwardly at Risar's nostrils. "It's.. fine. Just don't let go.," Risar said slightly annoyed but encouraging the man to hang in there until the waves could ride themselves out.

Meanwhile, Raclaw and Chester had made inside when suddenly the ship began to go creaked. The little Beagle began to slide when the larger Fur Dragon had managed to grab him with his tail. "I got you buddy.," Raclaw said as balanced and braced himself against the walls of the narrow hallway. A crew member in the nearby hallway began to slide when he landed against the braced and balanced Raclaw. The two awkwardly smiled at each other.

Quote: A Guy

As Sere worked on that, Latnok began to put the orb in place, as the volunteers applied the "storm paste". One area... then another...
All of a sudden, the boat heaved as a massive wave became apparent, like nature itself was trying to erase them. There was little Sere could do, except shield himself; he hastily ordered Leoquin behind him. Even if the merman could survive the water, he could get lost for an unfathomable amount of time.
Latnok also had to brace himself; with force magic, he was able to deflect the worst of the wave from hitting him, though he had to hang on for dear life and hold his breath at the very end. The other men with him would not be so lucky.

Holding on to each other and with such tremendous teamwork, neither of the three former pirates went overboard the first time. They even assisted the sailor when he looked like he was about to lose his footing. They knew the sea well, and while this storm was stronger than average, Random, Opium and Sand Dune knew how to work together and face such oddysey. When the storm became less intense, they continued working, following Latnok's instructions without hesitation, though they knew this break wasn't going to last long. They picked up the pace, each with a task of their own, when the giant wave hit, and all they could do is brace against each other...

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, on a calm, peaceful island, a tree root sprouted from the ground in an isolated grotto. Peeling open, it would release the sleeping Maverick before retreating back into the ground, leaving no trace of its existence. There would be no shore in the immediately invisible area; any shore on this island would take some exploring from Maverick's point of origin to find.

As the sprout left the sleeping faun man on the soft, soothing smelling grass, time itself appeared to stand still. Maverick slowly opened his eyes, yawning so hard to the point of his eyes watering. He was very well rested, but at the same time felt the desire to keep sleeping. He rubbed his eyes, and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. This WASN'T The Enduring Legacy.
"Wha...? Que que?" he exclaimed, very confused. His mind was a complete blur. His head felt like he had a little worm ticking his brain. He couldn't understand what was happening. One minute he was climbing the stairs to head to the main deck to help everyone on board face the terrible storm. One slumber and he was... here. But where was here? Did the ship crashed and he hit his head? If that had been the case, he should be on a beach. Was he dragged to that place? No, couldn't be. There were no marks on the soil. Was he... flown there? It was the only logical explanation at the moment. As beautiful as this place was, there was no time to linger. Wherever the ship was, he had to find it. He looked at his shoulder, and found to his relief, his hyperspace bag. Still intact. It didn't even seem wet. He took a saber out and started to walk around, preparing to use the weapon only if he encountered thorns or very tall grass. He didn't want to damage this beautiful place. There was no sign of civilization, and the very few wildlife he was encountering was very small and harmless. No signs of a predator or anything so far. As Maverick walked, he was still trying to understand how he got there, or if someone took him there, then why.

With the wave having dissipated, Sere tried as hard as he could to regain his bearing. The landmark he saw previously before was gone - but there was a faint light on the horizon. The sun. They just had to keep pushing...
But there were other pressing matters that needed Sere's attention. It didn't take him long to identify what he had lost.
Grimbane.
During all the chaos that was the monster of a wave, it had managed to strip the sword and scabbard from Sere's person. The legendary weapon held dearly by the Ardent Guardians for centuries. And it was just lost carelessly.
Sere cursed himself for not putting Grimbane away. He wanted to do nothing more than dive in the water to search for it; he knew that such an effort would be pointless, however, and would result in nothing but his death.
It couldn't be helped. They could only keep pushing forward.

Latnok hung on, as the wave finally subsided. He had to finish putting on his own storm paste before activating the orb; meanwhile, the other lightning rods continued to groan and sway, sounding as if they could topple at any moment. They had to keep at least one up. He might have to stay up here to ensure this one didn't fail again.

When the wave dissipated, there was something, or rather, someone missing. Opium and Random looked at each other, and it was immediately known whom they lost. They looked each other in the verge of tears, mourning their companion Sand Dune. They had spend all their time in that prison and they were practically a trio of brothers. And now, they will never see him again. All that remained was the set of cards he left to Angora. The poor troll was probably going to be devastated when she finds out. And that's when...

When a voice could be heard in the what looked like a distance.
"Help! HELP! A LITTLE AID HERE, PLEASE!" it said the voice, trembling and full of fear. It was Sand Dune. He was alive, but was holding to dear life to the rails on the side of the ship. It was so wet that the rails were extremely slippery. He had to use both of his hand and even his legs to avoid falling. After a while, he even resorted to using his teeth. The water below was restless and deadly, and he knew very well that if he fell, it could be the end of his life. Only two merpeople were on board as far as he's heard, but maybe not even they would be enough if he slipped...

Leoquin's armor and gloves helped him maintain traction and grip on the deck, despite the slippery conditions; he could take advantage of the slippery conditions to move quickly, however.
"Don't worry, I've got you..." he said to himself, as he shimmied over to the pirate about to fall off the ship. As he tried to grab the man, he would need something to secure himself to; hr quickly had to settle for the immediate railing, not particularly having the time to choose. Grabbing onto the pirate, he wrapped his tail around the railing, holding on as long as he could with it. If he fell off, he could find his way to the shore; this man, not so much...
"Don't worry... I've got you..." Leoquin groaned, trying to pull himself up. He never imagined saving someone like this... It would take some effort.

Sand Dune didn't know whether to feel very grateful or very startled by the unusual assistance, especially from a dragon who was deemed a killer so many times. But Leoquin alone wasn't going to be able to save him at this rate.
"Fall into the ocean and drown or get eaten by a dragon... hmm, I think I'll take the faster death." Sand Dune said rather jokingly, grabbing on to Shade's tail with one hand while holding Leoquin's hand with his other one. His friends were still up there, resuming their jobs and trying not to think about the loss of their dear friend...

With Shade's assistance, Leoquin pulled up on the pirate. With their combined effort, they would be able to pull him up right before another wave buffeted the ship. With the howling winds, the support on one of the lightning rods began to fail, and it began to collapse.
Sere contemplated what should be done. They might be able to make it with the other two... or those might fail as well, and they would want at least one up. More repairs, however, could be very risky. They already lost the mutinous sailor to one of the waves, and almost lost one of the pirates. What to do...

"Thank you so much gentlemen." Sand Dune said gratefully to Leoquin and Shade for saving his life, with a small bow as he said those words, but he knew that now wasn't the time for any further formalities. The storm was horrendous, and it didn't show any signs of mellowing down. Random and Opium were still up there, and while Sand Dune wanted to help, he had a dislocated arm caused by the force gravity did on him when he hold on to that rails he first time.
"Random! Look out!" the voice of Opium could be heard, the mute man in the way of the falling lightning rod. Random managed to dodge it successfully, but was still caught by some of the pointy end, which cut his cheek and all below the neck. Thankfully, the cut wasn't deep enough to reach a vein and make him bleed to death, but it was still a very painful wound. Opium assisted his silent friend as best as he could, but with the storm in such a state, it would be near impossible to do any more repairs. They awaited Latnok's orders to see what should be done...

Away from the hassle of that atrocious storm, Maverick navigated around the grotto, adoring the place. It was so quiet and peaceful. The little waterfall from a few yards away had such a clean water, and the wildlife seemed friendly. It was hard to imagine a place like this being located in a place that was famous for it's dangers like Falcon's Beak. This place, it could be the perfect o,ace to settle in for those who wanted nothing but a peaceful life, away from the violence and problems of the rest of the world. This could be the place for him and Ilasi, and Angora and Shade could finally have the tranquility they desired so much...

Meanwhile, in the cabin, Laszur was focusing intently on maintaining the spells allowing the rods to maintain their grounding effect. It was becoming more and more tiring with the storm raging on.
Sere looked across the deck. There really was no helping it; further repairs in this weather would b infeasible. Although... perhaps there was an emergency repair that could be done.
"You four! Get that thing back up!" Sere telepathed. "Latnok, get a rope on one end and pull. You three criminals, help secure it while Latnok gets some rivets in place!"
Latnok began to move to comply with the order. They were almost there...

Back on the island with Maverick, a lithe ferret would suddenly pop into his view. It began digging its way into a small rabbot burrow; typical of ferreting. A hunter of some sort was likely to be nearby.

"Yes sir." Opium and Sand Dune replied in unison while Random simply nodded, even though they had no idea how Sere was able to project his voice from such a far distance. They knew nothing about telepathy and very little about magic in general. They didn't appreciated being called criminals, but they understood it nonetheless. As Sand Dune made his way to them, the two companions were both surprised and delighted to see him.
"Oh thank goodness mate! We thought we lost you." Opium said happily, very glad to see him.
"You almost did. Almost fell overboard when that mermen and the scary black dragon rescued me. Heh. Who knew such unlikely individuals could be your saviors, eh?" Sand Dune said cheerfully, but while he and his companions wanted nothing more than to talk and rejoice, they had a very important job to do. They pulled the rope as strong as they could, with Sand Dune only able to use one arm.
"Hey mate. You ok there?" Opium asked concerned.
"Don't worry my friend. A little hindrance. Nothing I'm new to." Sand Dune assured, helping his friends. They needed all the help he could get, even if he could use just one hand.

Quote: A Guy

Back on the island with Maverick, a lithe ferret would suddenly pop into his view. It began digging its way into a small rabbot burrow; typical of ferreting. A hunter of some sort was likely to be nearby.

"Hm? This little guy seems to be in a hurry..." Maverick said casually, feeling weird for talking to himself, but it helped him ease up the lonelyness. He wanted to remain calm, when a small flock of birds rustling the trees startled him and made him lift his saber higher.
"Calm down Maverick. The wildlife here has treated you well. Nothing to it." he said to himself again, wanting to remain calm and peaceful, but he couldn't help being on high guard regardless. He believed the most dangerous thing he would find would be a poisonous insect or something of the sort, but even so, he grasped that weapon tightly, humming to himself to keep his nerves on check...

The attempt to reerect the lightning rod would soon prove to be pointless - the rope would snap after a long effort to pull it up, as another large wave prepared to slam the ship. Sere, in his frustration, sae that it would be pointless to attempt anything else on deck.
"Get to shelter, now," Sere telepathed to those still on the deck. "All we can do now is ride this out and hope for the best." Latnok and Leoquin complied, quickly moving inside the ship, with Latnok keeping the door open for others to follow as the hail continued to relentlessly pelt the deck.

Upon hearing the order, Opium took it upon himself to grab Sand Dune while Ramdom, who was the strongest, proceeded to help them leave the deck, holding on to whatever little he could find to avoid falling overboard. It has been clear from the very beginning that working in a storm like that would be pointless. Looking around, Random saw no signs of the sailor that was with them. Did he fell overboard like Sand Dune almost did?

At the grotto, Maverick ignored the rest of the place, wanting to focus the rest of the shore. This was untouched wildlife, and while he hadn't found any danger, he didn't want to take too many chances. Still, he couldn't help but feel distracted with the seemingly simple and calm nature...

As the ship briefly began to straighten out again-- Raclaw let go of the awkward stance and allowed the crew member to fall naturally to the floor. "There there...," Reclaw began to say when Chester noticed a sudden onrush of both pirates and prisoners beginning to rush inside the ship. "Uh Raclaw--," Chester urgently said still stuck in the grasp of Raclaw's tail. "It's alright. I think...," the Fur Dragon began to say again. "No-- it's not that. Look!," the little Beagle then said even more urgently as the incoming crew members began to rush the end of the hallway. Most approaching would only hear barks.

"Raclaw, Chester, Langdon-- brace yourselves. We have another wave coming!," Risar shouted urgently as he came in behind Latnok and someone of the others still on deck. The ship began to go creaked again with Raclaw still grasping onto Chester. 'Latnok, Risar-- almost everyone is leaving deck! Must be a bad one!,' Raclaw thought as he soon noticed the beloved Guardian coming in alongside Risar and Leoquin. 'For even Risar to leave.,' he thought again.

Random lead his friends to the entrance of the stairs that headed to the cabins, finding himself forced to throw his friends inside with the upcoming wave. Sand Dune fell on his bad arm,mand he let out a scream in pain that he couldn't surpress. The rocking of the ship soon made Random lose his footing before he could be inside with her friends, and slipped along the wet floor. By some lucky chance, he managed to grab the dragolet's great claws, which were in his way when he slipped. He didn't care if he was holding on to the laws of one giant beast. His main focus at the moment was not to fall overboard, or that would really be a certain death...