OMGFINALLY.

I'm seriously sorry this took so long. My god... MONTHS.

I feel bad... O_O

Piraticaly-Insane: -hug- Missed you. Thanks; I'll SOOO try and be faster next time. I started on this about 49 times in the last, what? Two months? And this is the first time it got finished.

Okay, GorimJr. isn't REALLY me. My mom (occasionally) reviews, and she accidentally reviewed with mine. I already replied to her review with words tinged with sarcasm and exasperation.

SarahHyan: NO! Keep reviewing! I LOVE it! I love it when people review every chapter; it gives me something to look forward to. "I wonder what he'll say", "I wonder if she likes it", that kind of thing.

Hmm... I'll not say, though you'll be surprised, my dear Sarah. (feels like she doesn't have the right to call you that, since it took her so long to update)

Peter: -shock- But I'm the main character!

Others: What are we; chopped liver?

Ammy-San: Thank you! Yes, Palicrovol is Hammer's son, and, in my head, the vow of chastity would be a personal choice. Yeah, I suppose I wrote Reaver that way because... I wanted to? XD He's even more of a slight softie in this chap. I was iffy about it, but I'd imagine that anyone would be shaken or worried at this point.

Neo-Kira: Thank you! I'll answer what I can!

1: No, she's normal. She's about 28 at this point.

2: *squirms* No, I'm sorry. Well... there might be. But probably not. Another Lucien thing. Maybe.... Well, I'll keep that under my hat.

3: Hmm. I'll try! I didn't have one in mind, but now that you mention it, I could in the coming chaps, since they concern Oakvale (all I'm saying).

The Heroes sat in their cells afterward, stunned into silence by what they'd seen. While they were glad their children were alive, the sight of the rotted arms still haunted them.

"Garth…" Sparrow said softly. "What is Oakvale's Hatred?" Garth sighed, glanced at Reaver, and then spoke.

"Oakvale, as you know, was once a peaceful town. But it was home to many of Heroes Blood. After it's destruction, the water flowed with that powerful blood, and the bodies that lurked under the surface… did not quite die, and gained the power of that blood. Became prophetic. They bring words of death and war, of evil and sin. That is all they can see." He looked very sad. "It is a horrible, evil thing to wake them." Sparrow glanced at Reaver.

The man was very pale, and oddly quiet. He sat in the corner of his cell, his back to the cell bars and the other Heroes, trembling. Sparrow scooted over and, awkwardly, reached over and touched Reaver's shoulder comfortingly.

The man stiffened, almost seemed to move away, then sighed and simply leaned back.

"I wonder if Asi's okay…" He muttered.

"I'm sure she is." Sparrow said reassuringly.

"She's a tough cookie." Hammer put in. Reaver smiled slightly.

"Yes. They're all very strong." He said. The proud parents nodded, thinking about the images of the children they didn't get the chance to watch grow. "But… I wonder…" Reaver said, looking at the ground. "If they're so strong, once they find an obstacle they can't overcome… Will they be able to go on?"

--

Asineth stood in front of the elegant house, watching as the four bedraggled people walked up the road.

Palicrovol was taller, more muscular, with his red hair pulled back with a bandanna and his arm gleefully punching Peter's gently, though obviously still hard.

Peter. He was taller, leaner, seemed somehow wilder, with his long brown hair (prematurely streaked with gray) and gangly features. He rubbed his arm where Palicrovol hit it and kicked the taller man in the leg.

The twins wore robes, one of blue, the other of red. They both laughed. Both were still beautiful, in that same exotic way. Asineth huffed. They could have at least had the decency to not age well.

Thunder walked up to stand beside her.

"Are those your friends?"

"Yes. And they aren't ugly." She pouted. Thunder boomed out a laugh.

"No. They're not." He chuckled.

The five friends hugged it out, and then Asineth introduced them to her first mate. Palicrovol and Thunder shook hands in a particularly manly fashion, while the considerably smaller Peter just shook normally. Briar sized him up, and then shrugged. But the moment between Whisper and Thunder was very curious.

She blushed furiously, and avoided his eyes, stammering out a hello. Thunder blushed slightly, and muttered a reply. The air sort of… crackled. There was a moment of silence.

"Uh, yeah, so… What're we doing?" Asineth asked loudly, breaking the awkward spell. Peter cleared his throat.

"Well, I was thinking that we stock up on potions and such, then take a ship to Westcliff and find a ship from there." He answered readily.

"Ah, a man with a plan." Asineth said coyly. Peter blushed slightly. "I like it! Let's go; I know the potion store owner, we'll get good deals!" Asi rushed off, running at full speed down the street.

The companions shrugged and walked after her.

"So…" Palicrovol said slowly. "What's Asi been doing since we saw her last?"

"She is the Queen of Pirates." Thunder answered boomingly.

"Cool. A Queen." Peter muttered. "I'm the champion of the Crucible."

"Oh right. I heard about that." Palicrovol said. "Do you still have any of that money? I'm kinda hungry." Peter shot a glance at him, a bit disgusted, then rummaged in his pack, pulling out a chuck of dried beef, and threw it at Palicrovol.

The young man scarfed it down as they went down the street, much to the twins' disgust. They met Asineth outside of a large building. She flounced in.

"Morning, Mordoc!" She chirped. "Me and my friends are going off on a little adventure! We need some potions."

"Of course you do." The fat man said grimly. Then he grinned a crooked grin. "And I've got just the thing for you. Mind you don't use it too quick though."

"Scouts honor." Asineth said, putting her pink-gloved hand over her heart. Mordoc smirked, and then went into the back.

The three giant men, two very tall and muscular, one very tall and lanky, hit their hands on the low doorway, then on the low ceiling.

"Ow…" Peter muttered, bending over and rubbing his head. Asineth snickered.

"Be prepared. People here are awful short." Peter rolled his eyes.

Mordoc returned, carefully carrying a small object covered in cloth.

"Just got this in," he said seriously. "Not many of these around anymore." The companions leaned forward as he unwrapped it.

In his hands was a tiny golden vial, filled with a golden liquid. It sparked in the wane, dusty sunlight like a gem.

"What is it?" Palicrovol asked, not impressed.

"It's a Resurrection Vial!" Mordoc snapped. "You dumb clod!" Palicrovol looked a bit hurt. "It brings back anyone who dies, regardless of what's happened to them!"

"Oooo, that's sounds amazing!" Asineth said. Peter raised his eyebrows, Thunder nodded, and the twins looked besotted. "How much?"

"For you?" Mordoc asked with a smirk, showing teeth that were almost green. "1,500 gold."

"Whoa!" Peter said. "How much are health potions?"

"500." Mordoc said promptly. "Take it or leave it." Peter was horrified.

"That's insane! I can understand the vial, but the health potions are insanely overpriced!"

"Then don't buy any." Mordoc said darkly. Asineth bit her lip.

"Give me that Resurrection Vial for half off, and I'll owe you a very large favor." Asineth said. She thought about it, and then smiled. "When I get back, I'll bring two loads of your potions for free."

Mordoc's eyebrows shot up. "That's generous."

"I really want that."

"I can tell. Fine. Deal."

--

The companions walked out of the potions shop, very cheerful. The prices had been haggled down to amazingly low prices, due to Asineth's wide range of services. They made their way to the docks.

"Hey… Wait a minute…" Peter muttered. "Why can't we take your ship, Asineth?"

They all turned to Asineth, who smiled cheerfully. "Because my prices are double that of the average captain."

They walked very quickly to the dock after that.

Thunder approached the captain and began to haggle, something that Peter and Palicrovol had NEVER thought of doing.

"Think of all the money we could have saved…" Palicrovol said wistfully.

"Yeah…" Peter sighed.

"All the beer I could of drank…"

"Yea- Wait, what?"

Whisper watched Thunder as he talked with the captain heatedly. Asineth noticed, and smiled.

"Hey, Whisper? Do you… Like Thunder?" She asked. Whisper's dusky complextion went red.

Briar scowled, and was about to say something, when Asineth suddenly gasped, her hand flying to her pendant.

"Asi, what's wrong?" Peter asked sharply. Thunder turned.

"Something's wrong… My necklace keeps pulsing." Asineth looked at the dark, eerie thing. "Like it's alive or trying to get my attention…"

--

In the cells, the silence was broken by Reaver's scream.

"What's wrong?!" Hammer asked in horror. Reaver clutched his head, gritting his teeth in pain. "Whoa…" It looked like he was getting older!

Theresa sighed.

"Oh dear… The time of the Dark Seal has arrived."

Abrupt, but I wrote this in computer class.