Chapter 7: In Zarin's Wake

Hale let out a teasing chortle.

"Hey, and did I tell you guys about the time we got stuck in the Gnome Maze?" Dysann bantered.

The band of warriors were eating and conversing merrily with the crew of the Intrepid (the new name of the recently rebuilt ship). They were having dinner in the cabin. Kaeryd sat at the end of a lengthy, maple wood table.

"Everyone's so…happy," Kaeryd whispered to Jasmine, who sat next to him.

"Yeah. They're really enjoying the trip. But don't worry," the young mage noticed the look of apprehension on Kaeryd's face, "They're former members of the Silver Chaos! We all are, remember? They won't forget the mission."

"That's not what I'm worried about. Zarin is two days ahead of us! What if we don't make it in time?" Kaeryd anguished.

We will.

"How do you know?" Kaeryd asked Sifias. Jasmine was used to this by now and waited for Kaeryd to explain.

My master told me. He sees all. My master notified me that Zarin has only just reached the mountain. However, I can only speak to him at twilight. That's when the gates between this world and the Ancient's world opens…but only for an hour.

I see. Jasmine will want to know this.

Kaeryd let Sifias have control. A second later, Sifias spoke.

It is done.

"Wow, that might come in handy," Jasmine smiled.

"Yeah it-" Kaeryd was cut off by the panicked voice of Captain Renarr.

"Everyone! Come up here!" Renarr screamed in a shaken voice.

Kaeryd raised an eyebrow toward Jasmine. She simply shrugged. Without delay, the crew and the former Silver Chaos members quickly got up and filed up the stairs that led into a starry night.

Kaeryd was the last one up and looked around. Everyone was standing at the end of the boat, staring across the sapphire blue sea with his or her mouths wide open. Nothing seemed obviously out of the ordinary. Kaeryd approached the edge where everyone was and stopped next to Enterran.

"What's the-" Kaeryd stopped in mid-sentence because right at that moment he saw it. The water was a scarlet red…with blood. Kaeryd was aghast, and by the looks of everyone else, so were they. His heart seemed to miss a beat, as he looked closer to the spot of light near the horizon. A ship. A ship on fire. The heat of the flames then flowed across Kaeryd and he started to sweat. Two whale bodies lay dead on the shore of a nearby island. The boat drifted forward slowly as everyone viewed the destruction. No one spoke. The boat's inhabitants stood still, petrified.

"Who could have done this?" Kaeryd said at last, breaking the silence.

I'll give you one guess.

"E-everyone back to their quarters!" Renarr stuttered slightly.

One by one, the crew tore their eyes away from the carnage and went down the stairs that they climbed up from a few minutes earlier.

"Kaeryd, Jasmine," the captain beckoned for them to follow him. They complied and he led them into the captain's cabin. When they were in the cabin, lit by small candles, Renarr turned suddenly and asked, "The wizard?"

"Most likely," Jasmine replied looking at the floor.

"Sifias thinks so," Kaeryd answered as he sat down.

Renarr did the same. The red haired captain gazed thoughtfully into a candle to his right. Stroking his beard, Renarr stood back up.

"I told you that I wouldn't get involved in this whole mission that you guys are on but if it will endanger my crew then I will not assist you," Renarr told them.

"I understand, but we need to get to that island! It is of serious import," Kaeryd pleaded the captain.

"Yes…I…I promise that you and your crew will get back to Ardougne safely. Until then, you'll just have to trust us," Jasmine promised.

Kaeryd surreptiously shot a questioning glance at Jasmine. How could she make such a rash promise? Jasmine paid no mind to him. After a minute's pause, the captain stood straight up from his slouching position and, with a nod, left the room. Jasmine stood up as well and followed him out, leaving Kaeryd and Sifias alone in the cabin of the Intrepid.

The next day the Intrepid rushed swiftly through the water at full speed. The captain was working everyone hard as they parted the water, moving toward the legendary island of Crandor. The sun heated everyone as they worked on the boat. Kaeryd stood on the side of the ship, admiring the glimmer of the now cerulean sea. The massacre of the previous day was still fresh in his mind. Hale came up next to Kaeryd.

"Are you coming down to eat?" Hale asked him.

"Sure, why not?" Kaeryd smiled at his friend and they strolled to the stairs. Just then, the boat shook vehemently and Kaeryd and Hale were thrown off their feet. Suddenly, a scream erupted and a large gray tentacle reached up out of the water knocking off a nearby sailor. Kaeryd regained his balance and scrambled over to the guardrail. He looked over the side, and saw the sailor falling, arms flailing wildy. Suddenly, the terrified crewman stopped in mid fall and a blue aura surrounded him. He suddenly started to float back up to the Intrepid. Then Kaeryd noticed Jasmine over to his left holding up the staff she found in the Vault of the Ancients. She smiled as she brought him safely back onto the ship. The crewman didn't even have a chance to thank her before another violent quake shook the Intrepid. Tentacles jutted up from the water and wrapped around the boat. A knife came out of nowhere, flying towards Kaeryd's forehead.

Watch it!
Kaeryd quickly heeded Sifias' warning and ducked. The knife flew over his head and landed in the now maleficent sea. Kaeryd looked up to find a teenage girl, no older than Jasmine, sitting atop the monstrous beast. The girl smirked. Silvery-white hair touched her shoulders and swept across gray eyes. Yet the girl's face bore an innocent look. By now, the rest of the crew and former guild members stood scattered across the deck as well. The beast roared viciously, bearing huge razor-sharp teeth. The girl tossed up a knife she held in her hand and caught it by the blade. She hurled the knife at Kaeryd once again, only this time it was deflected by another knife thrown by Zac. Kaeryd gave him a grateful look. He nodded and smiled. The girl then snarled, her whole face changing instantly, and jumped on to the boat.

"Who are you?" Hale said with a hint of aversion.

"The name's Rayne. I'm Zarin's daughter," she answered him in a friendly tone.

Jasmine raised her eyebrows.

"I didn't know Zarin had a daughter," Jasmine whispered to Enterran. He shrugged.

"Why are you doing this?" Kaeryd asked the newcomer.

"I do what my father tells me to do," Rayne answered as if she had practiced the line.

"Yeah? And what is it exactly that your father told you to do?" Kaeryd questioned suspiciously. This girl did not seem to share the absolute look of insanity that her father had.

"To protect him. To help him cleanse the world of evil," she answered slowly as if the Guild could never understand being the enemies.

"Oh great," Hale rolled his eyes.

"Your father is insane! He wishes to destroy the world, not cleanse it! He will do whatever is necessary to destroy the world of all its inhabitants," Kaeryd tried to explain to her.

"You're wrong!" Rayne countered, "He told me that people like you wish to stop him! He told me that people like you are evil!"

"Your father has told you nothing but lies," Jasmine retorted.

"No!" Rayne yelled. She turned and raised her hands. Rayne muttered something under her breath and the monstrous squid roared again and started to attack the people on the ship. Hale quickly grabbed his sword and immediately cut off a tentacle that was going for him. And, as quickly as it was cut off, the tentacle regenerated and grew back. Hale cursed and dodged a tentacle that lashed behind him. Everyone else was having the same luck. The beast seemed more than enough to defeat the crew and send the Intrepid to the bottom of the sea. Then a flaming arrow impaled the giant squid's right eye. It bellowed in torment.

"Aim for the eyes!" Auranus and Jasmine shouted to all the others. They all obeyed, charging for the eyes. The Intrepid was released from the bind of the tentacles. The massive ship then swung until its side was parallel to that of the giant squid. In a few seconds, cannons fired black, shining balls flung at the gray monstrosity. With a prodigious outcry, the squid suddenly sunk back into the depths of the water.

"No!" Rayne shrieked. In her anger she threw two gleaming daggers toward Kaeryd.

He caught them.

"What the?" Rayne was petrified. No one had ever caught one of her speeding daggers before.

Kaeryd's eyes glowed a deep red and, as he dropped the daggers, he moved slowly toward Rayne.

"You'll never defeat me!" Rayne threatened.

"We'll see about that," Kaeryd said in a voice unlike his own.

Rayne drew two short swords and flung herself at Kaeryd. He easily sidestepped. Kaeryd smirked and kneed her in the stomach. Rayne groaned, but recovered quickly. She slashed at Kaeryd's head. He blocked with his scimitar and slashed at her waist with his other weapon. Rayne, in turn, blocked it with her other weapon. Kaeryd shoved her backwards and she staggered. He blasted her with a fireball and she fell to the ground. Kaeryd, eyes shimmering, triumphantly walked to her and put his sword to her throat.

"Tell your father that we're coming. Tell him that he will be stopped," Kaeryd told her venomously. Then he stood back, withdrawing his scimitar.

Rayne said nothing. After a minute, she cautiously rose, then turned abruptly and jumped ship. Suddenly Kaeryd's eyes stopped glowing and he looked over the rail of the boat. Rayne had simply disappeared. Some others came up to Kaeryd and did the same.

"What was that?" Jasmine asked.

"Don't know. But don't count her out yet," Kaeryd answered.

"Let's move people!" Captain Renarr was yet again ordering his crew to work and repair.

Thanks for helping. But I could've taken her.

Hah, as much as I'd like to think so, she would've been pretty challenging for you. It would have taken much more time and we need to keep moving as fast as we can.

Yeah, yeah.

Kaeryd waved his hand as if waving away what Sifias said. Tysan saw this and whispered to Zac, "I worry about him…"

Zac shrugged uncertainly.

"Well, another battle won…and now onward to Crandor," Hale said as if this was a usual, everyday event.

Kaeryd chuckled and gazed forward, to the gray-outlined island of Crandor, where the fates of all the people of Runescape hung by a thread.