Chapter 3: Surmising Hope

"If anything happens, unexpectedly
I know you are there, to come and save me"

A comparison with death was actually quite reasonable for the Coeurl. Draped in heavy black robes and a cowl over her head, she made a reassuring similarity to the taker of souls. Only her flinging tail standing on end behind her served as a reminder of felineness. But it wasn't the figure of death that was so frightening, but what she carried.

In an eerie purple haze, the curving edge and long wooden handle of a scythe materialized right into the Coeurl's clawed grasp. For her the weapon was a tremendous burden, suited for no other creature of lesser stature or strength. The mournful figure advanced on her Erressian quarry, trapping Ari against the stone foundation. He didn't know whether the cat only toyed with him or it was genuine fear she wanted to produce.

Gasping in astonishment, he beheld the Coeurl draw back her scythe in both hands for a death-dealing blow. He caught the danger immediately and slid his own big weapon from place behind him. The Coeurl's blow bore down onto Aeris' adamantine surface with a metallic clang and tremendous force that quavered into Ari's arm. The impact came too heavy for the prince to withstand; a single blow numbed his arm useless and the sword he defended with slipped out onto the earth.

"That's enough Sataume,"

At the order, the Coeurl retracted her scythe into rest. Her eyes still narrowed onto the prince warily. Ari, relieved, looked away to the saving voice Rosalyn, stepping to the Coeurl's side. Sataume didn't even wait to acknowledge the mage and leapt up in a single bound back onto the archway ruin.

In his quietest whisper the prince dared to speak, "What was that about?"

"She's only testing you," Rosalyn replied. "Sataume makes use of her strength well. Sometimes too much for the rest of us."

Ari looked at his left sword-arm. It still stung from the parry. "Testing me why?" he asked, retrieving his weapon and storing it properly.

"She hasn't your trust yet. Coeurls are naturally that way. Time will see to it though."

Lynelle approached them, a concerned look for Ari on her face. At least that's what Ari wanted to think.

"I hope she didn't scare you," the Summoner said, "Sometimes she's a bit overprotective of me," she smiled and looked away to the Coeurl, still scrutinizing attentively from her high roost. "She's always around, always watching over me since I was a child."

Ari stiffened as Sataume disappeared; her eyes were always going to be watching. He worried that she had monitored him accompanying Lynelle from the first beach.

"Probably," he affirmed aloud.

"What was that?" Rosalyn inquired.

"Uh...shouldn't we be leaving?"

"Yes, mustn't misuse any more time," she agreed with a grin, "Lynelle are you ready?"

"Un," the Summoner nodded.

When they proceeded once again, Lynelle strolled unaccompanied at the front. Rosalyn stayed some length behind with Ari by her side, not wanting to interfere in her Summoner's sashay by the sea. After all, Sataume would always be there in case of any real danger, even if the Coeurl wasn't in sight. Filled with the sweet fragrances and sounds of the ocean they continued on a delightful stroll down the shore.

The ocean was handsome, clear blue and majestic. Ari had seen oceans before, Sindar settled right alongside one, but not one nearly as gorgeous as this Elven example. The waters of Sindar were shadowy and cold and the beaches were annoyingly dry and gritty, almost like a desert. He'd heard that the Tol Erressian Mother world boasted the most beautiful waters, the vast Chronosian and Serenity Sea, but until he saw it, Besaid's ranked the highest so far. Lynelle silently frolicked once again in the wave's tender caress. Indeed, everything about the water was purely beautiful in Ari's light.

The blonde prince continued alongside the mage quietly, his stare always upon his Summoner and the ocean.

This girl was special. He had not known her long, but he was aware of the deepening bond that was growing for her. He could not explain it, yet it was still too early in their engagement to call it anything more than a blossoming friendship. Anything else would be simply madness...

After passing underneath another archway ruin, this one even larger than the first, the lively marina came into eyesight. Actually it was a single pier, but for a small island like Besaid that would be expected. Ari had remembered that when he left Vanna's lodging the usual commotion of Elves was unseen. A crowd had gathered here, most likely everyone in the village to bid farewell to their young Summoner.

Lynelle joined Rosalyn and Ari once again for the descent down the sweeping tiled lane leading to the Besaid harbor. As the Summoner went next to Ari, the prince turned to smile at her, but in an alarmed double take, the looming figure of Sataume had appeared on Lynelle's opposite shoulder. As the Prince gawked up at the cat, Sataume replied with a hissing scowl. This signaled for him to move away from the Summoner.

He did so graciously and fearfully.

This time the crowd didn't resound into delighted cheer as the Summoner approached nearer. Her departure instead, brought mournful farewells and a few shed tears. They morosely parted, creating a pathway for the Summoner to reach the ship latent beside the pier. But the sight of the ship was not as expected to Ari: the prow shaped as Corsan maiden formed into the frame of illustrious carmine red wood. Two purple sails unfurled in the wind on a single mast. Its embossed name, Surmising Hope shimmered across the port side hull in silver lettering. It was a wonderful craft, yet the Erressian looked stupidly at its sight.

"That's not a ship!"

Everyone heard the boy, and even the Guardians looked at him as if he was a lunatic.

Ari hadn't expected such a string of unkind stares. "Well it is a ship, but for sailing on water," he explained hoping the Elves would accept his rationale. "We're off to Ison, and that's another planet."

Michelle, with Vanna, emerged from the crowd with a hand on her shaking forehead. "Not this again..."

"What backwater planet are you from kid? This ship's taking us to Ison." Vanna said.

"This thing can fly?" Ari looked amazed.

"Uhhh...no," her eyes twitched in disbelief, "Did you get too close to Sin there buddy?"

"Actually he did," Michelle confirmed, "Right Ari?"

"Er..." Ari could hear the snickers from the on looking Elves. He relinquished with a sigh, "Yeah, Sin got near me."

He hated telling the lie.

Too embarrassed to face anyone anymore he boarded the ship with his head down. From afar, he watched as Lynelle gave her farewell to the people of Besaid:

"Do not frown at my departure," she comforted. "Be hopeful that soon a new Calm will be upon us to enjoy"

The crowd finally burst into cheer. Lynelle breathed in and smiled.

"Fare thee well young Summoner, and may Grace of Ilumna shine upon your pilgrimage." It was the bilious Praetor Ross who bequeathed his blessings optimistically. At that, he shaped the prayer of the Goddess for her. The rest of the spectators followed suit.

"Thank you your Holiness," Lynelle said.

"I am pleasured milady Summoner," he replied. "Remember always to be wary for danger close at hand." His gaze turned to Ari onboard the ship, but surprisingly the prince wasn't paying attention.

"Yes your Holiness." She executed the prayer bow and continued forward to the ship.

A group of children circled around the Summoner and each gave her a bouquet of red Viluri flowers. "We love you Lady Lynelle!"

Lynelle took the bouquets graciously. "Oh children! These are beautiful!"

"They're nowhere near as beautiful as you milady."

Lynelle grinned, "Thank you. Now run along younglings."

"Bye!" the group of children yelped, running back into the crowd.

Lynelle departed with her guardians soon after receiving the gifts. As the ship's sails picked speed in the keening wind, she continued to wave adieu to the people of her island home. But as she confidently smiled, she grew also more somber as the island flitted away in the distance and out of sight.

"Goodbye."

------

Ari found a comfortable padded bench near the prow of the ship. He settled down hoping to sit for a few moments and watch the sea. But against his liking the undulating waves of the sea swayed him into slumber. No sooner did he begin to dream...

Lynelle stood in the doorway of Ari's royal bedroom. The girl bit innocently on her lip with a mischievous light in her eyes. She wore nothing but a wet chemise as she approached his bed. There was little for imagination of her undersized breasts through the moist cloth. Below her stomach, he saw her thighs outline a perfect "V," coaxing Ari's probing eyes. She moved slowly up onto the bed, making her way to the boy, lying in his shorts.

Ari's heart pounded elatedly. He began to breathe more rapidly as a rush of exhilaration came over his body. Lynelle placed her hand upon his left leg, running her fingers up and down the length of it. He shuddered, withdrawing both his legs from her, and leaned up farther against the oak headboard.

Lynelle licked her lips and stared passionately at the tense young boy. He breathed harder, and his heart pounded against his chest. Her gaze of playful sensuality enthralled the boy. She smiled knowingly, running her hand up his shin.

Ari felt vulnerable involved in this manner with the Summoner he swore to protect. But he did not want her to be dissatisfied with his lack of response. The intensity clouded his mind and he could neither think nor move. He only waited for what was about to come.

His eyes shot open wide as Michelle's delicate figure framed into the doorway behind Lynelle. She wore a revealing pink camisole also drenched in seawater.

He drew in a breath sharply, quivering the extent of his body, as Michelle approached beside Lynelle.

Lynelle kneeled, leveling herself with him, leaned up against the headboard. Michelle did the same.

"Such a handsome Erressian," Lynelle said placing her hand on his torso.

"Oh Ari! Aramis Viladriel," Michelle murmured suggestively and followed the Summoner.

He gave an awkward smile of approval to them both.

They could feel his heart pounding as they both caressed his splendid chest, tracing the lines of his well-muscled belly. Both girls paused at the waistline of his orange shorts and lifted her questioning glance to his shut eyes.

"What do you want us to do?" they asked in a husky whisper.

He only whimpered in retort.

"Hey! Stop dreaming!" a gruff voice, vaguely familiar, caught him by surprise. He opened his eyes, only to see a figure watching in the doorway—his father, Jecht!

"You with a woman? You can't even stand up for yourself!" the dark-toned man snickered. "They need someone to protect them."

The under-clothed women raised themselves off the bed and found a new place in the crooks of Jecht's arms. Ari did not protest. He did nothing but sit against the headboard, disheartened.

"Aww, what's the matter?" Jecht taunted callously, glancing at the prizes on each side, "Gonna cry again? Cry, cry; that's the only thing you're good for!" He prompted his son's contempt with more humiliating snickers.

His father bested him at everything and scornfully made sure to incite his superiority. With a downcast head, Ari saw his fingers clench into his palm with resentment. "I hate you," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" his father asked.

"You have to speak loudly," Lynelle said in an encouraging tone.

"And look to whoever you're speaking to," added Michelle.

"I hate you!" Ari shouted at the loathsome apparition of his father, making sure he heard. He didn't dare look upon Jecht. He tightened his fists even more than before.

"Eh?" Jecht still didn't acknowledge Ari. He never would.

The Prince finally lost all his tolerance, "I hate you!"

He awoke suddenly, the white sunlight assaulting his eyes. When the prince sat up from the plushy cushion of his bench, his first sight eased onto Lynelle, appearing just like in the dream. It was funny how his father just had to show his face. Even in the unconsciousness of his sleep there was no escape from that hateful man. He vowed in his mind he wouldn't lose Lynelle to him or anything for that matter.

Ari drifted into yet another dreamy state staring at Lynelle on the rear of the ship.

"She's cute, huh?" Vanna's singsong voice surprised Ari. The smirking Corsan in mermaid form sat brushing her splendid hair on the ship's prow. "Are you interested in her?"

"Yeah…" he confessed with an elated sigh again looking onto the Summoner. He became so entranced that he didn't even notice what he'd admitted to.

"Well don't get any ideas!" Vanna's tone broke the hazed reality that Ari fell into.

"Huh? But hey, what if she like, comes onto me?" He smirked, trying to conceal a bout of laughter regarding his dream.

"Umm...that's not happening buddy. Love is the last thing she needs, so stay away okay?"

Ari looked back onto Lynelle, her hair whisking in the wind. He couldn't help but say it out loud.

"So beautiful."

The Corsan replied with an irritated groan. "Ughh! Are you even listening! Lynelle is a Summoner." She looked at Ari with more seriousness, "It'll just make things hard for both of you."

Ari's face crinkled. "Both of us?"

Vanna sighed, "Its hopeless getting through to you."

"Well, then maybe someone should try listening to me," the prince said, "like explaining how this ship's going to reach Ison?"

The Corsan looked at him regretfully, "Do you really not know?"

Ari breathed in deep. "Yeah, and it's not because I got too close to Sin." he made sure Vanna discerned this before she concluded anything. "I want to know about the pilgrimage first," he requested.

"Well, the pilgrimage is to defeat Sin," Ari felt a slight weakness in her perkiness. She promptly folded her bare arms in her waist. "The Aeon you saw Lynelle beckon, It's a weapon against it."

He found it hard to believe that Seraphoris was capable of that. Sin after all, laid complete waste to warships back on his Sindar. "You mean that thing back there can defeat Sin?"

Vanna shook her head. "The Aeons are powerful, but not directly against Sin. Lynelle will pilgrimage to temples like the one in Besaid all across the Galaxy. When she's acquired enough skill and trust from the Fayth-"

"Fayth?" Ari recalled the term from one of Michelle's conversations on Emelan. "I've heard of them before, its what they called people who-"

"-who gave their lives to battle Sin." Vanna interrupted him just as he had, "Ilumna took their souls, willingly given from their still living bodies. Now they live forever, trapped in statues. But when a Summoner beckons, the souls of the Fayth emerge once again. That's what we call an Aeon."

"Oh." He sat silent for a moment for many questions still were unanswered. "But then how does this ship travel to Ison? If Machina is forbidden, how do you guys get around?"

"Sinports," the girl answered. "Sin connects every planet with doorways so it can get around quickly. It's not capable of hyper speed you know, like the ancient celestial ships were, so it made the network for its use. They're positioned sort of randomly but the first Summoners found ways to use them for their Pilgrimage. Usually it requires Divine Intellect, or magic, to make them operational. That's why Rosalyn's with us, being a mage and all."

"That's a practical use." Ari was fascinated with the future world, eagerly he asked for more, "So the world is doing just fine without Machina then?"

"Uh, not quite. Only Summoners and their Guardians can use the Sinports, so everything, all the connections between worlds are strained. The Val-Viera try to stop this, but the Galaxy is just too big even for the Church."

"Val-Viera?"

"Valkyries. That's an improper term the Erressian's gave them," she said. "They're the ones running the place, but you already know that because Michelle told you. Anyways, the world still remains linked with spheres; you know what those are right?"

Ari nodded. Spheres were in heavy use even before his time. Whether the curious orange globes were an ancient technological feat or some magical contrivance, they remained an indispensable part of every Arendian's life for their universal recording, medicinal, locking, fuel and even consumption purposes. He still had one in his pocket from the morning.

In just those few moments, he'd learned everything he'd been yearning for the past day. No longer did he feel stalled by his ignorance to the times.

"Vanna..." he called for her attention once more.

She looked away from her hair-brushing acceptingly. "Yes?"

"I'm going to go walk around and get my sea-legs. It's been a joy chatting with you." He stood up and attempted Ilumna's prayer bow.

The girl sniggered at the humorous display of his almost heretical bow. "Keep practicing there buddy before you offend someone. I think you need that more than your sea-legs."

"Ha, funny."

Ari left the Corsan finally to tend her hair peacefully. Even as Erressians were closely acquainted with the Mermaid race, Vanna was the first Corsan he'd ever seen before. And judging that he'd resurface on Ether in the water, it was probably she that recovered him from the surf. He owed his life to her. If she weren't a blonde, maybe he would have admired her as much as he did Lynelle. All the girls that popped up were beautiful; Vanna, Michelle, Lynelle, Rosalyn, even Sataume in a creepy sort of way.

Vanna's body was more complicated than he would have guessed it to be, with long spiny bits and ridges all across her tail and back and arms. She was evocative of a lionfish, but a nicer mass of vivid greens, yellows, and reds. Hopefully she wasn't venomous as well. The generic fish body and human torso in books or sculpture where he'd seen them before was a far cry from the reality. When a Corsan's in her actual form, she took on quite a bit more fish qualities than human.

Their eyes were different, the pupil appearing a speckled blue and yellow, and where there is white in humans, there were striations in Corsans.

Her hair was an entirely different consistency from fibrous keratin, being more like thin ribbon pasta with seaweed tresses. When Ari thought about her hair, Vanna wasn't using a comb at all, but her own thin spiny fingertips. Usually the Corsan would braid on her head randomly arranged plaits with dangling beads of coral or seashells; whatever got leftover in the surf. Vanna's own head was free from most of this except for a single braid falling behind her ear.

But even as Vanna differed the most physically, Ari was the most outlandish creature on board, and not just because he came from the past. Corsans integrated easily into any society, and were on good social grounds with any race. The same couldn't be said about their allies, the Erressians. Ari still wore the same green regalia and laurel coronet since he arrived in Arendia. He would blend in easier if it had not been for this obvious dress, that he suspected smelled neither too keen. His green eyes were another given, but it was a subtlety he could afford to hide.

He had already suffered disgusted looks from some of the Fyoren elves, the red ones less tolerant of his race, on board. This contempt was most likely the same for everyone else not willing to show it openly, but luckily there weren't any Juraians that he knew would star something more serious. It was just an unpleasant fact he knew from birth. They were the dangerous counterculture to the Erressian ways.

Very soon the omniscient presence of water began to bore him whilst he stayed at the port side railing. Every pitch and bob of the ship just seemed to add to the growing unwanted feeling. He left and found the galley below without much of any crowds, but he didn't scrounge anything to eat just yet.

Rosalyn sat alone at a table in the very back of the square establishment. She could offer him some relief to the wearying voyage but he didn't feel it was necessary to stir her from her apparent meditation just to relive his boredom.

He saw two figures on his right near the food dispense line, engaged in a companionable conversation.

"They say the Summoner onboard is Braska's daughter," Ari heard one say. The boy turned to watch the figures.

He saw a grim looking Drow in full plated armor chatting with a little Mogg companion. The smaller creature was obviously the one who addressed the Summoner in its little chirruping voice. The dark skinned elf picked up the plushy little green man with pink eyes and placed him on a stool near them. The Mogg almost looked like a teddy bear.

"You don't say Resili?" said the Drow.

"She's Braska's daughter alright. Saw her myself," the Mogg said proudly, "We'll get her to Ison, we will."

"If she's High Summoner's blood, than maybe she'll stand a chance," the Drow exclaimed.

Braska. Ari remembered the effigy from the Besaid temple. A monk had revered the great stone monument. That was Lynelle's father! She was an heir to great legacy, and he never knew it. Intrigued he made room for himself in the conversation.

"Did you say the Summoner's Lord Braska's daughter?"

The Mogg's simplified features furrowed as it looked upon Ari, "Now who be you? An Erressian!"

"Now Resili-" the Drow reached out to pacify his friend.

"The Summoner onboard is but Braska's own blood. His daughter!" the Mogg raised its arms in an unusual bout, "your likes need stay clear of her leadership!"

Outraged, the aggravated Ari managed to restrain himself, knowing that if a Mogg turned up dead at Erressian hands he'd be in a world of trouble. "She has a name you know," he said, "it's Lynelle and I'm one of her Guardians," he confirmed.

The Mogg's beady eyes widened, "Not your kind!"

"Resili that's enough," the Drow waved his arms to cease, "it's not that surprising that Erressians should be recruited around these parts. After all, there was Jecht. Now he-"

"Jecht?" Ari was confounded. "That was-"

"He was my father's guardian"

Ari saw as the Mogg and Drow rushed to perform the prayer bow. That voice--he spun round quickly to meet its speaker. Lynelle was there, her form at the top of the staircase.

There in her eyes was the brimming of excitement Ari had seen in his dream. The girl felt her way down the staircase, using the handrail, taking one careful step after another--she had some misfortune with descending stairs in the past. Though she was cautious, it took only one misplaced step to throw her off. Lynelle's sagging pleats slipped beneath her steps and as before, she fell from midway. Ari saw her yelp and he curried to save her once again. "Got you," he cried. Just as before, Lynelle fell into another of Ari's worthy embraces. He could feel her beating heart on his chest even through the fabric of her dress. Lynelle was that close. He was holding her above the ground, his eyes absolutely leveled with hers. There was hardly separation from their bodies. They molded as one; every contour of his muscles pressed against her every sinew and natural curve, every light breath whispering onto the other's neck.

It was in that amiable silence, that the Drow and Mogg looked on. Resili the Mogg stood up to whisper into his companion's ear, "Still think that she's got what it takes to defeat Sin?" the creature teased, "She's clumsy if you asked me, and that's not a respectable trait for them Summoners. Especially for the daughter of a High Summoner."

A hush had fallen on the rigid Drow so he didn't heed his companion's jeering. He turned away from the Summoner and her Guardian with a new somber look upon him. Something about the sight of the youth stirred him from deep inside, causing an evident pain to surface. The Drow with his heart heavy with unknown weight left the scene to a conjoined room. Resili followed him without even the slightest mentioning or hesitance...

They looked at each other, Lynelle and Ari, when the boy let her go from his rescuing vice. The Summoner smiled and giggled in the seconds afterwards. Ari smiled too. The girl's pale features flushed, "I'm always falling into trouble, but then you were there to catch me." Lynelle's eyes shimmered, "You know, our meeting like this must be the blessing of the Goddess."

"Thanks," he responded, trying to conceal his mirth. Her words were so thoughtful; Ari was a blessing to her. He wanted to speak with her now. But not where they were at that moment. It needed to be somewhere calmer and more open, so he could be open with her. Not beneath the confines of the ship.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" He noted that more people started pouring down into the galley, "They're beginning to serve lunch. It's going to be crowded soon."

She nodded and took his hand into her own. In a whisper she spoke, "Iluriethel. Yes, of course."

Ari moved to guide her up the stairs, holding her hand firmly to prevent another fall. When they came upon the outside, the crisp sea current proved to be refreshing to him. The bobbing ship sighed only occasionally beneath their treading feet as they strolled to the bow of the Surmising Hope.

It was entirely different when they arrived. There gathered before it was a circle of bystanders in chatty excitement and merriment. The dappled mass of multicolored Elves cheered ardently at the two figures within the circle of the spectacle. At a closer view, the Summoner and her Guardian moved to the less crowded part of the group near the starboard side and discovered the crowds were applauding an ongoing duel. One fighter moved in with a flurry of precise slashes from her two curved daggers, but the defending opponent had the longer reach with her rapier.

------

Vanna was the aggressor of the duel with her hope lying with nimble movements and attacks.

Every motion and slice was fluidly clean. With both her blades of crafted coral, she put up a stunning display of fierce, swift strikes at Michelle's midriff. But even as her speed excelled past her opposition, the ruthless offensive of horizontal slashes was steered away by Michelle's longer rapier. Vanna drove in more aggressively to counter the advantage of the weapon's longer reach causing Michelle to plummet into a tedious defense.

The Corsan was so much more active with her legwork, making the battle span across the duel area at quick jumpy intervals. Here and there, the girl would attempt to jolt Michelle with a skilled jump-kick or catch her off guard with a duel plunge of her knives for Michelle's shoulders. But as each blow clanged onto only steel, the growingly annoyed Corsan fell into rage.

The friendly duel had spawned from a simple bout of boredom between the two women. When Vanna accepted terms with the pink-clad Michelle, she expected a quick victory over her. Already several minutes had passed and she was by then wet with sweat. It seemed her reliance on pure speed had met its match with the composed fighter of Michelle. Vanna struck with preventable flurries of attacks as the impatience to win drove over her concentration. She couldn't stand the way her partner glanced every attack, no matter how quickly coordinated, so nerveless with one hand on her waist. It was a cocky gesture on Michelle's part, and Vanna fumed at it.

A cool grin assured to Michelle she would be victorious. The fencer knew too well of her inherent skill of trickery and so she drew the Corsan in with her passive protection and parrying. Vanna was indeed a practiced combatant, one that she'd longed desperately for back on Emelan.

The Corsan, she perceived, could actually defeat her if she had went out offensively from the beginning. Michelle was a finesse fighter not suited against blatant speed, so she lured Vanna into a blinding rage.

Vanna lashed out with both daggers sweeping outwards to the side. But against this kind of attack, Michelle bounded back to avoid being disemboweled. This left Vanna shortly susceptible to regain balance once again, and so Michelle finally struck forward with a series of horizontal cuts to Vanna's neck. This sudden change to an offensive caught the Corsan of guard but she backed away or deflected each coming slash.

The sibilant cutting kept fervor as at last Michelle gained an offensive. But Vanna was equally adept at discharging counters and parries. Michelle kept coming, content and relieved that finally she could be the actor. Vanna took every slash's brunt against both edges of her blades.

Michelle hung now over the other's face as each pushed forward back onto Vanna's weapon during a recent parry. They could see the intensity inflamed in the other's eyes for the thrill of victory. The Corsan was the one to break that pause with a sudden plunging blow. Michelle was always keen though, and she slid upward to counter. She registered that Vanna's attack left her stomach open, and so she forcefully subdued her opponent with a strong knee bash to the stomach.

It was almost too harsh, but it was necessary.

Her opponent cringed and then bent over to catch her hurt stomach. But Michelle wasn't through for soon Vanna would recover; she saw it when the Corsan gripped her weapons and readied to strike unexpectedly. She allowed for the attack to come, another of Vanna's diving stabs, parrying it to the Corsan's surprise and sliding her rapier out and upward to dislodge the weapons from Vanna's grip.

The duel was won as soon as the daggers plunged stabbing into the wooden deck. Michelle took note of Vanna's shocked face with a grin before she let out a jump-kick to her stomach accompanied by a victorious "yeah!"

Vanna flew right into the crowd viewing the fight, but a man was there to grab her. When Vanna's raised her plaintive face, she stared up the slivery-clean rapier at her neck.

"Concede," Michelle said ending in a lighthearted smile. Then she replaced her extended weapon with an extended hand.

Vanna took the hand with goodwill. The duel after all was mere sport.

------

"Ari, tell me about Jecht." Lynelle's shy voice penetrated through the raucous of those around them as her Guardian's ended their fight. "Tell me about Sindar."

The question caught him off guard. "My father...his name was Jecht."

"Was he truly a king like he says?" she asked shyly.

"He was the Emperor's cousin, so yes, the King of Sindar. But wait!" Surprise splashed onto Ari's face. "How can you know this?"

Lynelle shifted demurely to face the ocean, before she threw a quick side-glance at him. "Then that's why you've become my guardian. Because your father served my father when he became a Summoner, you came to do the same."

Ari only blinked for a reaction. There was no chance that his father could be the same Jecht that guarded High Summoner Braska. He strayed into silence for several seconds, but as he appropriated a response for Lynelle, he became interrupted by another crowd gathering before the bow. Directly before the boat's path was a massive arch coming out from the water.

"It's the Sinport!" someone cried, "fetch the Black Mage, quick!"

"That's the Sinport?" Ari asked, turning to Lynelle.

"Yes. We use them to travel easily across worlds. Only Rosalyn has the power to open them."

The sultry mage, in her perfect accenting gown, pressed through the crowd easily shooing away the observers. They all had to watch as she placed her staff firmly before her, and then dive into her mind to deliver an incantation. No sooner did the crescent tip of the ivory staff begin to swell up with a black light. She had to hold forcefully the magic-loaded staff slightly longer before the spell ignited and then she reeled the instrument back and blasted the spell like a gunshot. The black globular cluster of energy cut easily through the blue air before hitting dead center the glyph on the Sinport's arch. At the impact, nothing happened, but after a delayed second, the space under the archway filled with a similar black hue to Rosalyn's spell.

A cool current swept over Ari's face as the ship passed through the Sinport's magical arch. However, other than that, the new ocean was not unlike the one he had witnessed before the ship went through the gateway; it didn't look like the ship had gone anywhere at all, except travel forward some more distance. The boy even went to search at the sky for differences in the clouds. It was indisputably clear, just as it had been before.

His head turned back to see the Sinport fading fast away from him, "I didn't find that very exciting," he told Lynelle, "everything still looks the same."

"Oh? Well, we only moved from an ocean to another ocean. Maybe the next portal will bring better exciting changes as the pilgrimage continues. This is Ison by the way." The Summoner smiled slowly, with her eyes also filling with a new reminiscence, "I'm very sure Jecht felt the same way you did when he passed with my father through here. He was a reckless man, always looking for excitement, but you know that."

Ari staggered for the words to respond. The Summoner insisted that the Jecht she knew was the same one as his father. "Lynelle, my father died when I was seven and that was over a thousand years ago," he tried to explain, "It must only be a coincidence that your father's Guardian was also named Jecht."

It had to be, but Lynelle shook her head, "No, its not, he told me he had a son, an Erressian, at about my age that he left behind in Sindar a thousand years ago." Her sweet smile reassured her Guardian, "His name was Ari."

The beautiful Summoner was concrete on her position. He could not dissuade her otherwise. It did make sense though, when he really thought about it. He was here, so why couldn't his father have also been?

The realization only came with such suddenness.

"He left us alone," Ari whispered to himself remembering well the day his father disappeared at sea, "and mom died because of him." He was certain Lynelle could see his body tighten with hate swelling over the man. "I don't see him as the great man that you do."

Lynelle moved closer to him, "Ari, he didn't mean to leave you like that," she answered, truly feeling his pain. "You didn't have the choice to be here, and he didn't either."

He flinched, and then turned away, not to let the Summoner know his eyes were beginning to water. He cried at times, even as the privilege was well out of his age constraints. It was a habit that his father had always terrorized him for, his emotional tendencies. Screams sounded from within him, but soon they became overpowered by the new screams of passengers. People were running amuck aboard the deck in a strange panic yelling at first something unclear to the Prince's ears. Then he understood what it all was about as his sights fell on the souring face of Lynelle.

"Sin." She whispered it so he would hear.

In several more tongues, the prince also heard the much-maligned name: all of them spelling out the dread that was the entity. The Surmising Hope's foredeck by then packed with dismayed passenger fearing what should come of their fates. They rushed and they screamed as the boat wailed on the turning ocean waves, all while the more sensible ones bowed or descended to their knees and raised their left hands high to pray. "Holy Triad of the Goddess, the Mother, the Crystal, and the Dragonfly," enraptured with their terror, the praying bequeathed Ilumna's three forms, "we pray now for the atonement that will rid Sin, for the purity we live by to save us!"

Ari could not help but turn away from the desperate worshipers to witness the great creature. On Sindar, he had not seen it through the frenzy and hysteria running his home world, so now he hoped on finally laying sight on the elusive terror and destroyer of worlds. Its huge form crept over the ocean still far off from the ship, in a veil of poignant shadow and rushing black clouds. The ship quaked as it neared, fearful because it could not hope to escape.

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Michelle's parasol ruptured open in a blowup of pink brocade that cut the sea air. Already its partner rapier yearned for action in its master's other hand, ready to meet Sin's projectiles storming toward the ship. The sortie of ovular pods hit the deck with monotonous thuds, not even wary of the passengers in their landing path. Quickly they scampered to unbolt the vicious creatures inside. Nevertheless, the swordfighter was ready to meet them on with enthusiasm.

The pods opened to reveal engorged maggot-like fiends that bore a single naked eye. They squirmed forth in viscous sludge with vigor to kill the scampering desperately in need for refuge. Michelle would see to this though. One lashed its entire putrid body at her, displaying its leechlike maw, but with such ease, the pink warrior slung it dead with a clean slash across it from underneath. She moved on even to fatally strike those crawling on the deck, pacifying herself with the kills and then advancing an attack on the fiends still emerging from their pods. The maggots writhed and exploded like pustules as she stuck them through, but never did the mess spoil onto her dress.

How the pink warrior danced charmingly across the ship with her parasol, the necessary shield against fiends she could not catch with her killing strikes. She was not reluctant to move beside Vanna when they closed together, for the Corsan would indeed be valuable partner if the need were refined. Together they massacred maggots, Vanna cutting with her duel knives, and Michelle piercing with her sword. Rosalyn also entered the fray with her magic ready, as did the Coeurl, Sataume, sweeping in wearing her black cowl and scythe, with the power and presence of Death.

Michelle's grey eyes easily lapsed onto Ari's fighting form on the deck level above hers. He was fending alone with Lynelle within his guard, holding at bay several of the maggot fiends. She took the opportunity to escape the group of her other Guardians to save the less experienced boy from certainly unwanted scratches. With power fueling her, she fought her way through the tussle of fiends and victimized passengers.

"Die!" she yelled viciously as her sword impaled a maggot through its single eyeball, just as it readied to pounce on Ari's appetizing flesh. Cleanly, Michelle brought it upward and threw it down to the deck where she was fighting earlier. When it was safe to notice, she could tell quite well from his fatigued countenance that the Erressian was not ready for fighting any longer. "Are you alright?" she asked with sensitivity.

The prince nodded only slightly.

His face was pale, and from it, Michelle could tell he was lying. He was nursing his left hand, the hand holding his sword, with the other around a wound most certainly caused from an unfortunate bite. The blood was still oozing from beneath the pressure. She cringed at the sight of Ari's misfortune, feeling he was a young boy needing to be looked after.

By then, the rest of the Guardians had exterminated the all the invading maggots. Michelle saw as the last one died beneath Sataume's crushing scythe. The cat killed it with a surefire grin.

Sin was the last threat to be dealt with, but it was no maggot in comparison.

Like a rapid moving storm, the clouds bearing Sin seared through the air, cutting in mere instances over the ship; proving that the Surmising Hope had not been targeted at all. Something told Michelle that Sin was not passing them on a pleasurable peruse over the ocean. No, the almighty Sin had its machination set for something more tangible for its insatiable hunger to destroy. Racing on the skyline, it desired for the city of Ison far away on the horizon to die. Michelle caught the coastal town as Lynelle beside her grabbed hold of Ari's unhurt arm and pointed the Elven settlement out in a gasp.

"I'll summon!" came the determined words of Lynelle. Already she attempted to beckon her only Aeon, Seraphoris.

Below, Rosalyn shook her head; it would be a fruitless effort. "Stop it Lynelle."

There was no hope any could surmise for the people doomed to Sin's onslaught. Except of course, the hope that some would survive.

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