darkSpyro

"Out of place? Hmm..." Latnok had hardly dealt with such a matter - most of his time feeling out of place was as a street urchin, and he was soon made to feel in place when he joined the Ardent Guardians. "If you think it's worth trying out, then sure, why not?" Latnok was the one who kicked him off the ship; though he doubted how effective Raclaw's suggestion would be, he figured his dragon friend would have some idea of what he was doing.
Leoquin appeared very soon afterwards, waiting for Latnok to finish speaking before continuing. "Latnok, the captain wants to send out a scouting party to find some clay," he relayed.
"Sure. You, me, my friend Raclaw here, and who else might be useful..." Though Latnok wouldn't have naturally volunteered Raclaw, hr knew his friend would come along regardless.

Angora was eating her breakfast quietly on top of a barrel, waiting for Icestorm if he decided to join her. She could hear Leoquin talking, and while her sensitive hearing could catch from that distance, she didn't pay attention. Maverick heard Icestorm saying something, but didn't think much of it since he didn't know what he meant. After the little kaiju chose his platter, Maverick continued distributing the food, giving Raclaw and Chester their usual bowls. Sometimes Latnok gave them food, so if they weren't hungry, he would save it for later. Like Angora, he didn't pay much attention to what Leoquin was saying, but whatever it was, it sounded quite important.

"Thank-you.," Raclaw and Chester said in unison, each in their respective languages. The latter knew that he would be staying behind although perhaps he would get to experience land again some time later. "Hmm-- perhaps Risar?," Raclaw suggested. Fondness for the Minotaur aside; Risar was still the strongest person they knew and he could surely do some work with a pickaxe. 'Or two.,' the Fur Dragon thought thinking of how Risar handled his two great axes with ease.

Angora saw his intentions. He was close enough to start a conversation, but the distance indicated he was not in the mood for socialization. Still, she tried to improve his mood.
"What do you think? Good, huh? You can't ask for a better chef." Angora stated, complimenting Maverick. She knew a meal wouldn't be enough to make Icestorm better, but they usually helped her at least. After the comment, she looked at Mischief from the distance, eating alone, and waved at her once she looked at their direction, inviting her to sit with her and have a small conversation before the day really started.

With the cart, Maverick pulling, bringing Sere, Latnok and Risar's meals. He headed to Shade and gave him an entire chicken, nodding in greeting but preventing conversation and direct eye contact. Maverick wasn't going to eat until everyone else did.

"I don't think we need many more of us, in that case," Latnok concluded, as he took food from Maverick and gave him a nod. "Thank you. Now, where was I... Godfather Sere will be here at the ship, so Risar and I should both be free to leave. From there, Leoquin should be able to use the map we have to direct us to a likely source of clay."
Latnok rushed through his food, trying to leave as soon as possible. Leoquin was already prepared, and Risar would likely be ready soon as well.

Raclaw and Chester quickly finished their food; the former matching Latnok's pace and the latter wanting to say goodbye. Risar would soon be ready as well, his axes ready and slightly less eager for.. dirt. It was obvious that he had been chosen for his raw strength verses say his epic might in battle. But that would come soon enough and he would rather exhaust himself than a few or several more of the other crew members. 'There was no shame in some digging., the minotaur thought as they prepared to depart.

Raclaw would offer his usual reassurances to Chester before they departed, although the Fur dragon could tell that their little Canine companion was eager for a good action himself via a good 'walk' on solid ground. Perhaps next time they had a safe opportunity to do so?

It wasn't long before Angora finished up her food, literally licking the plate clean. She didn't want to leave anything behind. Speaking of which, she figured Veris had digested his breakfast by now, and if he wasn't taking a nap, he was likely waiting for her. She groaned quietly at the fact that she had to visit him again. The idea was for her to bond with him as less as possible to make him change his mind about her staying, but he was still her responsibility, and Sere was way too busy too many times to attend to his mount's needs. Besides, she was getting paid this time. She couldn't leave a paid job behind.

Icestorm was still eating, so Angora decided to leave him be for now.
"Enjoy your meal." she said politely to the little kaiju, getting off the barrel and proceeding to take the empty platter to the cart... but instead, she took a little detour to where Raclaw and Chester were.
"Hey you two. You finished? Allow me to take your bowls." Angora offered, but while she waited for their replies, or Raclaw's to be specific since she didn't think she could understand dog yet, she got a little more closer to the fur dragon.
"Can we talk again? It's... a bit urgent." Angora asked in a low voice, having thought about what he had in mind for a while. If they could talk as soon as she took the bowls, then better.

Quote: A Guy

"I don't think we need many more of us, in that case," Latnok concluded, as he took food from Maverick and gave him a nod. "Thank you. Now, where was I... Godfather Sere will be here at the ship, so Risar and I should both be free to leave. From there, Leoquin should be able to use the map we have to direct us to a likely source of clay."
Latnok rushed through his food, trying to leave as soon as possible. Leoquin was already prepared, and Risar would likely be ready soon as well.

Maverick nodded back, wanting to give a verbal greeting, but he was busy talking, so he continued pulling, ringing the bell by very little to avoid the sound from interrupting. The smell should be enough to attract the sailors, so after walking with the cart throughout the entire main deck, he settled down near the middle of it, grabbing a platter while leaving the cart besides him. If some sailors arrived late, the cart was quite visible from everywhere up there, so they could pick some of the remaining meals. After he was done, he would move the cart again so the sailors could put the empty platters.

"Make it quick-- Latnok and I have to head out soon. We're helping Leoquin recover some clay for Mischief's golem.," Raclaw said as he returned his and Chester's bowls. Risar was just finishing up and would soon return his own plate directly.

Angora figured Raclaw would be part of the mission, so taking the bowls and her platter back to the cart, she returned to Raclaw, distancing him just a little bit from Latnok to prevent him from eavesdropping, though thankfully, he seemed distracted enough with his conversation with Leoquin.
"Listen, Raclaw, I... changed my mind. I don't want you talking to Veris. I don't want him to hate you... or even hurt you if he doesn't like what you're saying." Angora warned, the predicament being her own, and Sere's of course. It wasn't fair for Raclaw to be involved in something that didn't concern him. She didn't want him to be in bad terms with the wyvern. She didn't know if Veris would go as far as to hurt Raclaw if he didn't agree with him, but as gentle as that wyvern was most of the time, he could be just as violent, and Angora wasn't willing to endanger Raclaw with a problem that had nothing to do with him.

"Alright. Just.. just be careful. And listen-- you have to tell someone. Tell Veris, tell Sere, just.. someone.," Raclaw said with concern preparing to return to the beloved Guardian and the mission at hand. Risar stood by, ready to go when the others were.

"He knows... about what Veris wants. But why am I telling you? You were there." Angora remembered, fully aware that before speaking to Veris, perhaps she should let Sere know first.
"Just... don't talk to him. I'll see what else I can do." she assured, letting him leave and proceeding to leave the spot herself. She felt so silly for worrying more about Veris than the Ishulgites, who were the major threat, but with the Guardians, especially the experienced Sere's involvement and Neo and her friends by her side protecting her, she trusted they were a temporary problem. Veris' however, could be permanent if he got his way.

Angora rested for a while near Icestorm, wanting to be close to him so that he wouldn't feel lonely. She avoided a conversation however, since he didn't seem in the mood for one. Once everyone has eaten and taken their platters back to the cart, Maverick left, and that's when Angora decided Veris has spent enough time alone and had more than enough time to take a nap. She was about to leave, but not before bidding farewell to Icestorm and approaching Mischef.
"Good luck with your little project. I know you'll do great." she encouraged, already aware of Miscief's involvement in a certain new plan.
"By the way, while you wait, do spend some time with Icestorm over there. The poor lad needs it." she suggested, knowing that those two could get along well since they have been under similar circumstances.

With the matter settled, Angora headed to Veris' enclosure, wondering if he had already thought of an activity or if he was going to leave the decision to him. As she headed there, she wondered if perhaps she should treat her moments with Veris as nothing more than a job and not quality time. Perhaps the wyvern would lost interest if she acted a certain way?

As Angora headed to Veris' enclosure, she encountered Maverick along the way with an empty platter.
"Oh hola again Angorita. Just taking Ilasi's platter to the kitchen. She really enjoyed it." he said happily, Angora feeling glad for him. He really looked happy with his girlfriend.
"That's nice. She better know how lucky she is." Angora stated, making him blush and shrink his shoulder.
"Well, I try. Where are you going? Let me guess, to Veris." he correctly assumed, with Angora nodding.
"Of course. He can't stand being locked up for too long. It's not just about bringing him food. I have to keep him active as well, give him some exercise. And now that I'm being paid, I have to do a better job." Angora said, making Maverick so happy. She might've mentioned about a payroll, but if she did, he has forgotten. It was about time too. Taking care of that wyvern was not easy.
"Great for you Angorita! Just don't exhaust yourself too much, alright?" he suggested.
"I could say the same to you." Angora said, looking at the platter. Her job was hard, but she figured Maverick's was even worse. Cooking for those many people almost every day couldn't be easy.

With everyone assembled, Latnok began to lead the way off the ship through the gangplank. As was typical here, foliage would pick up significantly more once the immediate shore was past, with willow trees near the edge.

An odd, haunting vibration could be heard off in the distance, slightly audible to everyone on the island. Latnok was on high alert as hr proceeded, following Leoquin's directions. The merman was able to readily identify old riverbeds and lakes via the map, indicating the likely sites of land shifts, and thus, spots where clay would have been formed.
The group made some headway through the directed path before the vibrations coalesced into a more distinct sound, once again audible to everyone on the island. "We, the Ishulgites, seek the end of the old order which would do nothing but continue to enable the suffering of the many for the pleasure of the few. Such a goal requires sacrifice. Why do you continue to resist us so? All you do is prolong your own suffering, and that of your family and friends.
"We would break the chains of conflict, reforging them into everlasting bonds of unity. We will not be stopped. Such short-sighted attempts to do so are misguided and futile. We would implore you to surrender, and embrace the unity and purpose we can grant you and the rest of the world.
"Yet we know that no amount of truth will deter you from the ideals which have been instilled in you for so long through the current world order. So come... build your devices. Be prepared to meet us in battle. We will be patiently waiting your arrival - your spirit will be easiest to reforge after it has been thoroughly broken."

The sound seemed to have no particular source, but reverberated through the whole island. There was no telling what to expect.

"The Ishulgites-- I thought I sensed one of their masterminds earlier. Everyone, keep your wits about you.," Raclaw warned as he fully opened his senses to coaside with Latnok's own senses. Risar kept an keen eye on his surroundings, as best as he could anyway without any magic or telepathy. No one could match the combined senses of Raclaw and Latnok when it came to that department. "They'll get what's coming to them...," the minotaur muttered under his breath. He had seen too many men get hurt because of the Ishulgites' various attacks via them or their associated allies. And indeed, the battle would come soon enough.

Angora got ready to leave to Veris enclosure. Maverick was bidding her farewell when she told him to hush. Maverick didn't know why she would do that... when he started listening to something. His hearing was that of a normal human, so being inside the ship and in those closed hallways only allowed him to hear muffled words. Angora however, could hear everything.
"Those... those... ugh! It's the Ishulgites again. Saying we should surrender and how we are misguided and how they should be sacrifices for unity and such nonsense. They want a battle." Angora explained to Maverick, figuring by his confused face he didn't hear the message right. Maverick starting to sweat.
"Not those people again! Seriously, how crazy are they? I mean, they want sacrifice to bring peace? Those two words should never go together!" Maverick said frustrated, clearly stressed. He has had such a wonderful time with Ilasi and some good news like Angora's new payroll that he usually forgot they still had the Ishulgites to deal with.

Maverick paced around to release some of that stress, though it wasn't working.
"Why does this have to happen Angorita? I mean, they think we're the ones misguided?" he said, feeling like he was about to cry.
"Now calm down Maverick! Worrying and stressing out isn't going to make things better. Just breathe. First things first. Go check on Ilasi. Go find your girlfriend. And while you're at it, go get Dahlia as well. She must be a nervous wreck now." Angora suggested, know how sensible the dirt buffalo was. Maverick obeyed, knowing she made much sense. Since Ilasi's cabin was nearer, he went there first, knocking at the door and still holding the platter she used earlier.
"Ilasi! Ilasi mi amor! Still there?" he called, not wanting to enter all of the sudden in case she was getting dressed or something.

In the meantime, Angora was entering Veris's enclosure, trying to remain calm and composed since she didn't to rub any of her frustration on him.
"Veris? Heya boy. How are you?" she asked serenely, trying to act normal but imagining Veris heard the message as well...

Ilasi had stood up from reading some of the information Julian had shared with her, startled by the sudden voice. Its undefinable location and its haunting message were, needless to say, troubling to her - but, at the very least, the ship seemed to be safe.
She slightly jumped with Maverick's knocking, though she gave a sigh of relief once she realized who he was. She hurried to the door, opening it quickly.
"Hello, dear," she said as she opened the door further, moving out of the way. "You heard that voice too, right? Those... people again... but we should be fine. Right?" There was nothing quite like Maverick's presence to make her feel safer.

Veris was on edge, and would likely be gnawing on something if there was anything to gnaw on. "The bad people? Where are they? Are we fighting?" Pacing about as his blood raced, he was primed and ready for another fight.

Despite the message, there was no sign of any Ishulgites around the general area. "They have mentioned waiting for us - wouldn't be surprised if they're just biding their time, on the defense," Latnok surmised, as the group moved towards the location Leoquin had pinpointed. The potential quarry was, at the very least, visible from the hill they had gotten to - some rocky spots which were a likely source of the needed clay were obvious enough.

"I can confirm that-- it seems we are safe. For now.," Raclaw said as he walked aside Latnok. As he scanned the area-- his senses wouldn't do much for detecting resources, but would warn them of any incoming threats should the circumstances change. His thoughts also pondered onto new tail artifact forms, perhaps a long pick-like spike or shovel to help with the digging? And in combination with his claws, perhaps. Risar, for his part, would keep an vigilant eye out just in case. Nothing about the area smelled funny... yet. The minotaur was no dog, but they did still have an increased sense of smell over their non-beastman counterparts. And any warrier knew the scent of their enemy well...

Chester, meanwhile, was watching from on top of a barrel as he was once again left behind. It was just a mining expedition, so they *should* be alright. Or so the little Beagle's thoughts reassured him; he didn't know what he would have done had the beloved Raclaw (now his brother?) and their technically owner Latnok hadn't saved his life. One of the crew members gave him a quick headpatt as they carried about their duties, which the small canine happily accepted.

Mischief responded to the message by leaping to her feet with an enraged snarl, eyes shifting to gold briefly before switching to the mismatched state. Cowardly genocidal cultists! They won't leave us in peace! Their goals are mad, and so are they! To wipe out an entire race over past conflict when living proof of the possibility of peace has already confronted them? They will pay a price in blood for every death! "Blast it! Who sent that message? Argh, so aggravating! They taunt us as we prepare to attack! Such cruelty and arrogance... If their god condones what they do, he isn't a god I'd follow!" Her resolve was steeled more than ever. "If they think they're going to win... They've got a nasty and bloody surprise on the way. Their actions have consequences! And there will be retribution!" Her claws twitched slightly with rage, but she managed to settle herself. Grabbing her platter and returning it to the kitchen, she noted "First order of business is the golem. The Ishulgites won't know what hit them." She returned to the stones Leoquin collected and pulled out her journal to draw various designs for the golem, and plot out the building process.

Darkheart reacted rather violently to the Ishulgites' message, hissing angrily. "They're certainly ones to talk of peace when draconic genocide is a part of their goal! Them dominating the world wouldn't create the Utopia they claim, but a dystopia! If they think we'll lose, they've got a surprise on the way!" She spread her massive wings. "Such arrogance to let us PREPARE to destroy them!"

Maverick didn't dare to nod, but knew exactly what to say.
"No te preocupes mi Ilasi. Their nasty beast was defeated. We have beaten them before, and we'll do it again if necessary." Maverick said, hugging her.

Quote: A Guy

Veris was on edge, and would likely be gnawing on something if there was anything to gnaw on. "The bad people? Where are they? Are we fighting?" Pacing about as his blood raced, he was primed and ready for another fight.

Angora has never seen Veris so eager to fight, at least not this close.
"Woah woah, save that energy for when there's a real fight Veris. I don't want you to get exhausted before the action begins. That was all a warning for now. Remember the giant monster on the other island? They are bound to be weak after such defeat, but that means they will know not to underestimate us." Angora said, giving her own warning. Even Veris' eyes had changed. He looked ready to tear something... or someone apart without mercy, and it was scary. Despite being mostly gentle, he did have some bloodlust, but then again, he was carefully bred for both things.

Leoquin had already planned ahead, carrying a pickaxe in his belt - though Latnok had several which he pulled out of his own bag. Everyone would have to stay alert - but the mining process would be good for now. Fortunately, the clay wouldn't need to be purified like metal ore would.

Ilasi reciprocated the hug, feeling much calmer in Maverick's presence. She brought her face to his, giving him a kiss - she didn't know what he was busy with, but she wanted to stay together for just a bit more before returning to her own duties. He was right - they had faced the horrors the Ishulgites had to throw at them, and have triumphed. They would continue to survive.

With the news that a fight was not impending, Veris gradually settled down, his face becoming calmer as he relaxed slightly - though he was now full of energy which he wanted to spend. "Okay. We will be ready when the fight comes. Let's play!"

Maverick blushed at the kiss, returning it. He could tell Ilasi was calmer at his presence, and it made him feel so happy he could make his girlfriend feel that way.
"Ilasi, now without a doubt today will be a busy day. We can't lower our guards. You can purify water or help at the infirmary. Since I'm not navigating or anything, I will take on full cooking duty to make sure everyone is well fed for whatever awaits us." Maverick suggested, usually doing just breakfasts, but this time was important that everyone ate well. He wanted so badly another date with Ilasi, but as long as those Ishulgites keep threatening their very existence, personal desire would have to be put aside for the time being.

Quote: A Guy

With the news that a fight was not impending, Veris gradually settled down, his face becoming calmer as he relaxed slightly - though he was now full of energy which he wanted to spend. "Okay. We will be ready when the fight comes. Let's play!"

Now Angora had one more reason to despite the Ishulgites even more. With their message coming at such a bad time, Veris was more fired up than ever. It wasn't going to be easy making him release all that new build up energy.
"Ok Veris. Whatever you say. Have you thought of something?" Angora asked, reminding him about what she told him in the morning. But whether he had something or not, Angora started thinking herself. She had to find a way to make him exercise or else he was going to let loose all that new energy directly to her.

Ilasi fave a longing sigh when the hug was done. Maverick was right - they had duties to take care of. "Well, then, I'll probably be expected at work soon," she said, as she gathered a few of her supplies. To think she would be involved in something as significant as this, from her rather humble origins...

The clay mining, though naturally tiring, went without any interruption. The group secured more than enough to build the golem.
After what he felt was sufficient, Latnok called an end to the mining. "Let's head back, while luck is still with us," he ordered. He was still on high alert - but his senses combined with Raclaw confirmed that nothing amiss was happening in the area.

Maverick allowed her to pass, knowing that the quicker she started, the faster she would leave work and more free time for her.
"Muy bien then. We better start if you want to finish earlier. Going to the kitchen soon to make lunch, but first, I have to check on Dahlia. Poor girl must be so scared." Maverick said, following Angora's suggestion.

Just as Angora suspected, Dahlia was in quite a panic. She has felt a presence for a while now, but now, it was confirmed. They have been attacked several times, and she had enough instinct to know that wherever that voice came from, it was responsible for all the tragedies and horrors they've had to endure. The pen had slashes everywhere, which all came from Dahlia's horns and hooves. She couldn't stand being there anymore. Not only was she vulnerable, but she couldn't protect Maverick being all locked up like that...

Veris knew exactly what he wanted to do right now - flaring his wings out as he looked to the sky. "We should fly around the ship!" he anxiously suggested. He didn't know how far Sere would be okay with letting him go, but the immediate area couldn't hurt... though he wouldn't have the luxury of chasing after random flying creatures to eat them.

As Maverick left, Ilasi wondered what could be done for Dahlia. So many things here frightened her, but she didn't want to leave. She pondered what it would be like to communicate with the buffalo. What would she say? What did she think of her? Did she know she facilitated the deepening of Ilasi's relationship with Maverick - especially on that one unforgettable night? So many questions the mermaid wanted to ask...

When Maverick entered Dahlia's enclosure, she almost accidentally gored him in all her running around. She was very apologetic about it.
"No te preocupes Dahlia. Look, nothing happened. Easy mi niña. I'm here. I'll get you out of here for the rest of the day if it'll make you feel better, but you must behave yourself, alright?" Maverick stated, with Dahlia understanding. After what almost happened, she knew she had to keep her panic under control or she could accidentally hurt somebody, especially the beloved Maverick.

After making sure Dahlia was calmer, Maverick took her to the kitchen. The dishes were already clean... or almost. He already knew who did that job. But with a mostly clean kitchen made things far easier.
"Hey there pal. Sorry. Was doing the dishes when that awful message came." a man said behind him after quietly announcing his presence to avoid spooking Dahlia. It was the man who once got eaten by a tonguean.
"Oh, hola amigo. It's alright. I can still work like this. Going to take full cooking duties now. We'll need it." Maverick assured, with the man agreeing and even willing to help him. Dahlia had to remain outside since she could easily knock some dishes over, but Maverick left the door open so that she would see him, sometimes giving her a few fruits to keep her happy.

Quote: A Guy

Veris knew exactly what he wanted to do right now - flaring his wings out as he looked to the sky. "We should fly around the ship!" he anxiously suggested. He didn't know how far Sere would be okay with letting him go, but the immediate area couldn't hurt... though he wouldn't have the luxury of chasing after random flying creatures to eat them.

Angora was very hesitant with that suggestion.
"I don't know Veris. I don't think your master would approve of that right now. I know you love stretching your wings and flying around... but, well, you heard the message. Those stupid Ishulgites are around. And remember how those nasty bugs surrounded you? There could be more of them nearby. We... would have to be extra careful if we do that, but it can be very risky." Angora warned, hating to say no to something Veris wanted to do. Flying was a natural thing for wyverns and dragons, and there was no better exercise for them, but right now, it could be very dangerous. Plus Veris could get carried away and fly a little further from the ship, leaving them prone to capture. She was certain the Ishulgites had the resources to catch and even kill a wyvern like him.

Veris drearily put his wings down as he slumped; as much as he would have liked to fly, Angora had a point. "Okay. What else can we do?" he asked. Maybe Angora had a toy or something else he could play with...
Those bad people were ruining his exercise. He gnashed his teeth in anticipation of eventually crushing them in his jaws.

Angora pondered deeply, sensing Veris' frustration. She wanted to get him out and have him fly, but the risk was just too great. And if there was a prey nearby, there was always the chance of him chasing it too far from the ship and them getting lost, further endangering themselves.
"It will have to be some other time. I'm sorry." Angora apologized, knowing how hard it was for Veris.
"But you'll fly soon. I'm sure of it. Sere will need you for combat after all." she then assured, knowing how often Sere used him for aerial battle.
"First though, we need to get you exercised. Too bad Maverick doesn't have a toy that could work for you. Most of them are plush toys anyway." Angora said sadly, remembering the time she showed Veris some toys, but he didn't like many of them. And a plush toy he would destroy in a single bite.

Angora paced around, trying to think on what could possibly tire out Veris while inside that enclosure. It wasn't exactly a big space, not enough to fly around, but fortunately, it was big enough to run for just a little while. What could be a good exercise for him...?

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The clay mining, though naturally tiring, went without any interruption. The group secured more than enough to build the golem.
After what he felt was sufficient, Latnok called an end to the mining. "Let's head back, while luck is still with us," he ordered. He was still on high alert - but his senses combined with Raclaw confirmed that nothing amiss was happening in the area.

"Agreed.," Raclaw said as he retracted his tail artifact's new form; a long pick-like spike that would never wear done due to the magical somewhat mysterious metal that it was composed of. Risar ceased his mining, returning the picks to Latnok and having perhaps done the work of multiple men. The work reminded him of the possible conditions his brothers faced, one of whom had been determined to be of 'lesser' quality at birth and thus more suited towards mine work. The Minotaur had no regrets leaving his old homeland, but did still one day want to find his brothers. And potentially free them.

Meanwhile, Chester watched with growing concern as he too heard the voices. He hoped his dear companions were okay and the others too.

Veris anxiously paced around, eventually lowering himself before he began rolling on the floor. He passively gnashed his teeth as he worked to tire himself out a little and settle down. Usually, he would have some other outlet...

Chester wouldn't have to wait for too long. With the morning well underway, Leoquin directed the group back to the ship. Passing through the denser island foliage, they reached the shore without incident.
Upon reaching the mass of rocks, Latnok withdrew the clay from his pack, placing it as neatly as possible in a nearby pile. Now was just the matter of forming the golem - and animating it.

Maverick began cooking lunch, knowing it was going to take a little longer than a breakfast. With his new friend helping him, it could be done faster. He couldn't wait to see the look on everyone's faces when they see he has done lunch as well. The man with him didn't know much about cooking, so he simply followed Maverick's instructions.

Quote: A Guy

Veris anxiously paced around, eventually lowering himself before he began rolling on the floor. He passively gnashed his teeth as he worked to tire himself out a little and settle down. Usually, he would have some other outlet...

Angora could see Veris was desperate. He needed to have some activity or he'd go crazy. The message only made things worse. She saw him gnawing seemingly at the air and that's when she had an idea.
"I got it Veris. My shield. You once chewed on that. It helped you relax..." Angora suggested, hating the idea, but she had nothing else.

"You won't be just biting on it though. You will... have to catch me first. Let's see how much energy you have big boy..." she said after a brief pause, taunting him and activating her shield, which thankfully still worked perfectly even after briefly transferring the magic to Latnok. She could move the shield around like a hamster ball, and she could bounce around whenever she hit a wall, adding to the challenge. With Veris chasing her around it would mean that she would literally have to act like prey, but there was nothing more thrilling to the wyvern than hunting something and she knew it. She only hoped he wouldn't make a habit out of it.

Quote:

Chester wouldn't have to wait for too long. With the morning well underway, Leoquin directed the group back to the ship. Passing through the denser island foliage, they reached the shore without incident.
Upon reaching the mass of rocks, Latnok withdrew the clay from his pack, placing it as neatly as possible in a nearby pile. Now was just the matter of forming the golem - and animating it.

Risar looked at the incomplete-but-progressing pile of rock of clay; the Minotaur offered a nod and a grunt. "Progress. Risar has never seen a golem before, but has heard great things. Looking forwards to seeing what exactly our Mischief can achieve now that he has the necessary resources.," he then said actually impressed that the so-called Pokémon came with up with such an idea. If done correctly, he might even have a potential full time sparring partner. If done poorly-- he had also things; great magic users accidently blowing themselves up in the process or their creations turning on them.

Raclaw, meanwhile, could already sense and see the now perked ears of an excited Chester. "Next time we find safe ground, we need to take Chester out on an excursion some time. Perhaps buy him something nice.," Raclaw said looking at Latnok and knowing full well just antsy a dog can get sometimes. "He, uh, has been wanting a frisbee. Like this.," the Fur Dragon then added sending a image via thought. He knew that Latnok would need some kind of reference due to his inexperience in the domesticated canine and it's needs. It was rather ironic actually, given the Guardian's current companions.

Like lightning, Veris was upright again, primed for the thrill of the hunt - or as much thrill as he could get, anyway. "I'm ready! I will catch you!" he declared enthusiastically. It might not be a chase of something he would eat, but it was as fun a game as any he could play under the circumstances, and he would try his best. If Angora was quick enough, he would have a really fun time.

Latnok absorbed the image of the frisbee and made a mental note. Like a discus, except not a deadly throwing weapon. "That sounds good. It's a shame that Chester's been cooped up in here," he commented. "Hope he's not getting cabin fever - we'll have to do what we can for him."

While Maverick was cooking, he gave instructions to his friend, who would sometimes do the remaining dishes when all they had to do was wait.
"I wonder how el capitán is doing with the clay. I promised a friend I would be there." Maverick said, remembering how he promised Mischief he would be present to encourage her when it was time to do the golem project.

Quote: A Guy

Like lightning, Veris was upright again, primed for the thrill of the hunt - or as much thrill as he could get, anyway. "I'm ready! I will catch you!" he declared enthusiastically. It might not be a chase of something he would eat, but it was as fun a game as any he could play under the circumstances, and he would try his best. If Angora was quick enough, he would have a really fun time.

Angora started rolling around inside her spheric shield, bouncing between walls to gain speed.
"Try not to hit the walls." she warned, although this would also test that reflect. Despite Veris' size, it wasn't too hard to dodge him. He didn't have front paws like Shade or other dragons, his back paws weren't good enough to grasp a round object, and trying to grab with the tail would be very uncomfortable. Veris' mouth was big enough to fit her in, shield and all, so the only thing she had to concentrate in dodging were his jaws. Although she trusted her shield, she didn't intend to do this for too long. She wanted to make Veris release the energy, but not tire him out to the point of fatigue or it could severely affect his performance when the battle begins. She didn't know exactly when the Ishulgites would attack, but it could be sooner than she expected, so she had to make sure Veris would be alright.

Veris rushed about in pursuit of Angora and the sphere encasing her. His only reliable option to catch her would be his jaws; an exercise which was nevertheless rather enjoyable for him. Though Angora had faith in her shield, Veris was careful when attempting to lunge at it, being (relatively) gentle with his bite. Now, this was truly an excellent way to burn up all of that stored energy.

The exercise lasted for what Angora estimated were three minutes. It didn't look like much, but they were three minutes of constant running without stop, which was hopefully enough to burn some of the energy that fired him up after those stupid Ishulgites delivered the message. Shortly after those three minutes, Veris finally managed to catch her, and it didn't look like pure chance. It almost looked as if the wyvern studied the direction the shield headed when it bounced off a wall, and after finding the pattern, he caught it.
"Well done Veris. You really are a mighty predator. Heh, glad you're not my enemy or I'd be doomed." Angora said jokingly, imagining Veris would take that as a compliment. If he was anything like the four legged wild dragons, feeding their egos was something that filled them with pride and confidence. Now captured, Angora left to Veris' decision whether he wanted to release her or chew on the magic sphere for a while. It didn't stop being scary being trapped in the jaws of a dragon, but she knew that as long as she wasn't eaten, there was nothing to worry about. Veris was not like any wyvern. He had control and empathy, and she was his friend. This was to help him. Plus it was her job, and now that she was being paid, she was going to go the extra mile to make sure he was happy and well taken care of...

Mischief examined the clay, sniffing it briefly before nodding. "No traces of blood. I don't smell the signature stench of vile energies either. In other words, it's perfect. Now for molding it..." She glanced at her design ideas and put her notebook away for now and retrieved her orb. She gently started molding the base for the body, assisted by magick. After putting it mostly together, she looked it over again and consulted her notes again. Then she worked to finish it. Overall, building it took quite a while. After putting the golem together, she nodded and looked to the others. "It's just about ready to be animated. I will need help in the ritual, it takes a LOT of magickal might. Even the best mages usually built golems as a group." Her blue eyes gleam excitedly. She was both giddy with excitement and shaking a bit with fear of failure. "This is possibly the most vital step beyond checking the materials. A failure here... Is VERY expensive, sometimes in lives. I cannot afford an error... At all..." She retrieved the vital reagents. "Once these herbs and oils are sprinkled onto the golem, the ritual can begin proper. I'll let Sere review the incantation... Along with any other mages willing to lend a paw." She glances at Latnok as she mentions the last part. Much as she despised him for his actions, she couldn't deny his prowess.
Darkheart raised a claw. "May I assist? I'm a skilled magic user in my own right, mostly from sheer experience. I should be able to lend power to the spell, if nothing else."
Mischief nodded. "Thank you, Darkheart..." She looked at the others. "Which of us should inform Sere it's ready?"

"My energy can help as well, even if I'm a tad inexperienced compared to my counterpart here. And I'll tell Godfather Sere-- Latnok, Mischief, Chester.. I'll be back.," Raclaw said with a gentle smile and admitting his lack of experience compared to the many many years that Darkheart had experienced. Leaving the group, he soon began to knock on Sere's door. Risar, meanwhile, kept an eye out both for people's safety and for the enemy.

The environment remained clear of anything unusual, despite the impending experiment. Sere was in his office, handling some last-minute details of things which would be relevant once the group got to the mainland. Upon hearing a knock, he stood up to get the door, not expecting anyone in particular, but nevertheless ready to address any concerns of his crew, or receive any warnings.
To his surprise, it was Raclaw at the door. "Raclaw. So the group has returned, then. I presume the supplies are ready?" he asked. "I'm ready to lend my assistance."

Latnok, in the meantime, gave a somewhat blasé grunt. "Expensive in lives. Well, that sounds safe. We'll manage just as we have with everything else." Just one more event to add to the pile of reckless things he'd done before, as far as Latnok was concerned. This did have potential, though - and perhaps there were some applications of the process he could seek to use himself later.

Veris was a bit tuckered out after the burst of exercise, at least for the moment. He settled for gnawing on the shield a bit to put himself at ease. He was content for the moment, though he was prepared to jump to action again if need be, if anything else happened.

"Indeed-- we're ready to review the incantation.," Raclaw confirmed with a nod preparing to lead the way. He never imagined that he would one day witness the creation of a golem, but than again-- he had now experienced many new things courtsy of Latnok and the Guardians. "The creation of an Golem-- be careful. Both of you.," the voice of Damon could then be heard within the Fur Dragon's mind, his host's actions clearly intriguing the collar entity.

A heavenly smell surrounded the hallways a few floors down. Lunch was almost ready.
"That smells good Mr. Maverick. No wonder you've won over the crew." the man stated, remembering how Maverick wasn't treated very well in the beginning of the voyage.
"Gracias buen señor. Of course, I would've rather won them over with something else, but I guess food would do. It took a while, but both Angorita and I earned everyone's respect here." Maverick said happily, although he wondered if the same applied to his small friends, at least in regards to the Guardians.
"Oh, the little troll. Yes. A marvel to behold let me tell you. I didn't even know trolls could be that size. I thought she was a baby at first, but they don't talk, even less stand... I think? Plus she speaks perfect English. I thought they were all grunts and roars." the man said, clearly fascinated. It made Maverick feel proud.
"Not only that. She has magic. And as if that wasn't enough, she can befriend dragons. I mean, not only is she friends with the Scourge, but also the captain's wyvern. That is no small feat." he then said, with Maverick giving him a look.
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I mean, the black dragon... yeah, he looks nice." he said awkwardly, almost forgetting Maverick was friends with Shade too.

The two of them remained silent for a while, focusing on the food. The man didn't know what else to say.
"It's alright. I know that what Osc... Shade did a horrible thing. I feel so awful for not being there with him. We were kidnapped by this crazy blue dragon and... well it doesn't matter. It's a long story. Doesn't change the fact that I should've searched for help. I knew he was unstable, but I wanted to trust everything was going to be fine..." Maverick stopped, unable to continue. It made him deeply regret not doing anything sooner and that so much loss of life had to happen before knowing how severe Shade's lack of control was.
"Well, what's done is done. It's a tragedy, but nothing can turn back time. We just live and learn from our mistakes and move forward. Now come on, I'll help you with the platters." his friend said, trying to console him. He and Maverick took some platters, removing the food that was ready and waiting a little while longer until the rest was done.

Quote: A Guy

Veris was a bit tuckered out after the burst of exercise, at least for the moment. He settled for gnawing on the shield a bit to put himself at ease. He was content for the moment, though he was prepared to jump to action again if need be, if anything else happened.

Although Angora was hoping Veris would release her, he still had some energy left. She remembered the time Maverick introduced her to chewing gum, and while she find it a waste to just chew something and now swallowing it afterwards, the very action of chewing was strangely therapeutic, and it seems Veris was no exception. While inside his mighty jaws, with those fangs slowly coming up and down, the manticore memory unavoidably came again. Angora has been close to death many times, but that has been so far the only time where something or someone have been that close to killing her. There was no shield that time, only the beast's teeth stabbing her flesh over and over again. While the trauma has mostly vanished (otherwise she wouldn't be doing that), the memory was still there. It was a time where she was all alone, and she could only count only on herself for the recovery, which lasted almost a month, a lot for a troll.

Mischief's eyes locked on Latnok. "The danger is exactly why I'm being cautious. We can't afford the price of failure. But the payoff is a nearly indestructible ally. It's the only reason I'd be willing to take such a potentially lethal course of action. Anything that's necessary to stop the Ishulgites in their mad schemes... I'll make sure they pay for their cruelty and treachery." Her eyes lock on the orb as she accesses the massive reserves of Mana stored within. "Soon... They'll be bent at the knees..." They will bow, beg for mercy that won't ever happen. Please, don't distract me now! I'm not here to distract. If you feel uncertain, I can assure the ritual goes as planned. Don't worry. The Ishulgites are an enemy to all of us. ... If you promise to relinquish control as soon as we're done, then I'm fine... I can't stop shaking. It's fine little one. You've done so much. Mischief's eyes close, and she suddenly grins. When her eyes open they're gold again, and she briefly reviews the incantation with a much more confident air than before. "Now, let's see..." She repeats the incantation a few times under her breath.
Darkheart notices the shift but decides not to comment on it yet. What a confidence boost... Is that her other self? If so, well, it seems they're on our side for now. No doubt due to the threat of the Ishulgites.

As the process entered its beginning stages, Sere arrived with Raclaw. Everything seemed to be in place; everyone seemed to be ready, with Mischief rehearsing what he believed to be an incantation. "So we have the materials for the body. What of the spell? I believe there was an incantation involved?" Sere was always wary of incantation spells; due to how the language involved worked in many cases, a mispronunciation could cause unintended consequences. Still, if that was the magic needed for the process, that is what they would use.
"I think I'll sit this one out, Captain," Leoquin said - his knowledge of magic was more basic, and to him it was more a supplemental tool for tasks like hunting than a tool in and of itself.
"That's fine," Sere said. "We should be able to handle it."

"You can use my energy as needed-- I can take it.," Raclaw said with a nod knowing that Latnok at least could draw from his power. The Fur Dragon was even prepared to draw upon his collar if need be. Risar and Chester stood back, keeping each other company and leaving the work to the professionals. It wasn't like either of them had any magic anyway..

Mischief looked up at Sere as he arrived. "Captain. The incantation is written in my notebook here. I'll let you review it, I already memorized it. When I spread the herbs and oils onto the golem's body, we begin. According to my research, you repeat the incantation seven times. You also must channel magickal energy the entire time. Some traditions use seven mages, but it's not required. Theoretically a single mage can do it alone if he's powerful enough. I can take care of the rest myself, but my Mana is insufficient." She handed Sere the journal, tapping the incantation written there and repeating it aloud one more time to help with pronunciation. "We can begin when you're ready, Captain."

It took a little while longer, but finally,mother food is done. Maverick did lunches as well, but it was the first time he did it for this many people. It was more exhausting than the breakfasts.
"Alright. Time to head for the main deck... I promised that friend I'll be there. Plus everyone must be so hungry right now..." Maverick said, but his friend gave him a smirk.
"Yeah... especially your girlfriend..." he winked, practically everyone by now knowing Maverick and the mermaid were a thing. More than one though found it quite strange, since the obvious choice for Ilasi would've been Leoquin given they were the same species, but it wasn't so strange seeing humanoid of slightly different species getting together. Maverick himself was a hybrid.

Maverick had blushed at the comment, simply shrinking his shoulders. They both carried the cart full of many kinds of lunches back to the main deck, where the captain seemed to be reunited with Latnok, his companions and a few more seemed to be reunited, among them Mischief. Wait, did he missed it? No, couldn't be! He made a promise. There was a shape, possibly the golem, but nothing else beyond that. After waiting for Mischief to notice him, Maverick casually gave her a thumbs up and a smile, showing his full support.

Sere analyzed the incantation, muttering the words to himself a few times to get a feel for them. Once he felt comfortable enough, he passed it over to Latnok. "You will be joining us in this endeavor, correct?" he asked.
"Of course," Latnok confirmed as he took the notebook and reviewed the incantation. The information would naturally be shared with Raclaw as he did so. Latnok rehearsed the incantation a few times before passing the notebook back.
"It appears we're ready," Sere indicated. "Continue on, please." He and Latnok prepared to mutually channel power once the spell had started.