mepb: Yeah. Joren does seem more Joren-ish when he's battling those inner angels. He gets a little OOC every now and then – and I'm sorry – but still. It's an update. Muaha.

I took out the whole Kel thing…I was getting too many negative reviews about that. So I changed it. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW???

I was going to say something but now I forgot. ::chases after runaway thought::

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Pain.

It ripped through her body. Her vision became blurry and dangerously dark. She would pass out soon, she knew. Her welts burned like a trail of fire, an inferno. Her back was afire, fiery, like criss-crossing roads of flames. 

"Get that whip off of her."

And then suddenly it stopped. Keladry ached, but it was dim now. She slowly opened her eyes, and focused them on the one who ordered them to stop.

"Frenn," she whispered.

---------------------------------

"Joren?"

No one replied. Kris sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He felt concerned for the noble kid; he was at fault for this mess, true, but not as much as he made it out to be.

He knocked on the cabin door again.

"Joren, please come out."

"He's not in there."

Kris turned.

"Why not?" he asked Gil.

Gil replied, "He went out last night, and never came back in."

"Do ya know where—"

"Kris, Morgan isn't in 'is cabin either," Tharon huffed, jogging up to his friend's side. "And the life boat's gone."

"Gods damn," Kris said in awe. "They went out to get tha' wench."

Gil fidgeted. "Do you want me to inform the captain?"

"If he's awake," he replied. "If he's not don' waste your time. Tharon, inform the men to turn this ship around. We're goin' to Carthak to help 'em."

"But Kris," Tharon protested, "'Twas the Dark Priests that kilt 'em. I saw their ship meself, flying across the waves like the legendary Black Pearl is said to do. (AN: Teehee.) 'Twas them that blew up Frenn. If we go after 'em, we'll end up with the same fate as the Sorcerer's Mistress."

"All the more reason to go."

"But Kris—"

"My son is going to Carthak, Tharon. That's where the Priests of the Dark dwell. Chances are, if they're to find that girl, they're to find the Priests too."

- - - - -

Joren spit on his hands and rubbed them together. As they rubbed up against each other he could feel the tough calluses and new blisters he acquired on the journey. Sweat ran down his face and dripped off his nose.

Morgan was worse, although he was dressed in less than Joren. His dark skin and hair and even his eyes attracted the sunlight. His sinewy arms were sweat-sticky and trembling with exhaustion.

"Can we rest?" he pleaded Joren. "Please? I don't wanna move anymore."

"Then wait here," Joren said curtly. "It'll be better if I go alone, and anyway, someone needs to watch the boat in case the tide gets high.

"Now wait a minute—"

"Just do as I say, gypsy."

Morgan shut his mouth with an audible click and straightened his spine. "Okay. I'll stay."

"Good. And have it ready in case we'll need a quick escape."

"Okay."

- - - - -

Sha'sa'in walked in front, his black robes billowing out around him like so many ravens, carrying the gem. He had followed the wounded emerald-eyed man to this cavern. He knew the man's name was Frenn, and that he was in possession of the Sacrifice.

Keladry.

Sacrifice.

Immortality.

Soon it would all be theirs. His faithful Priests of the Dark worshipped Lesenac as staunchly as he did. When they gained the immortality rightfully theirs, they could finally stimulate the belief of their Dark Lord in all of Carthak. The belief will spread, until all will forget there was ever a Mithros or a Goddess. They will know only Lesenac, and his Gift of despair and hate.

Gently he cradled the gem in his arms. Sha'sa'in was eternally scared he would drop it, and it would shatter. This gem was the life force of Lesenac. If it shattered, then so would he.

The Priests of the Dark moved silent as butterfly wings into the cave. They were met with a damp cavern tunnel, the only sound the occasional squeak of a bat or the echo of voices further down. Torches lined the sides of the cave, held in their brackets, casting a sinister glow across the floor, illuminating rats' hungry red eyes.

Like Death's shadows the men made their way down the dim tunnel, until they were met with a much brighter room, filled with people, mounted with gold and other treasures one could only dream of imagining.

On the floor to the left lay a boy with gold curls, face down, not breathing. A dagger stuck out from his back. The red-haired man kneeled next to him, a hand on the boy's hair, shaking silently.

"You killed him," he was saying. "You killed my nephew. Why? I thought you were loyal to me!"

"We were loyal to you, Frenn," one of the men cooed. "But then we realized we were nothing but loyal dogs who did everything you said without questions. We've decided to be our own men!

The Priest forced his gaze from the dead boy to the other side. There was the girl.

Keladry.

Sacrifice.

Immortality.

She was sitting up, sweaty, scared, and confused. She was the perfect sacrifice.

Sha'sa'in stepped forward. Eyes turned to look at him.

"I am Sha'sa'in, leader of the Priests of the Dark," he said. "Loyal follower of Lesenac, God of Terror, Destruction, Child of Uusoae the Chaos Wielder and Mynoss the Death God. We are here for Keladry."

- - - - -

Hmm…what do you think? Arden died, I know. Sucks, don't it? This is getting along pretty good I think. I wish the chapters were friggin longer but you can't choose your battles. That made no sense.

Oh yeah! I remember what I wanted to say! You know what would be weird? Alanna/Kel pairings. Me and Kassi had this discussion already. . It's kind of…freaky. And messed up. VERY messed up. ::shudder::

It'd be kinda cool though, if you think about it. It'd be the only pair of its kind. I think. That would be one seriously flamed story, though, lemme tell you know.