Chapter2:

The weather grew rough as Pri climbed the netting to the top of the mast. The XǽŋģŁeќђåʼn's ship was named 'The KžσtέЂ', Pri knew not the meaning, but assumed it was something gruesome. From what she could determine of this world, while she was put to work on this ship, was that it was under demon rule. The weather was constantly changing. During the time Pri had been conscious it had gone from sunshine (from multiple suns), rain, sleet, snow, tropical storm conditions, hot n' humid, cold n' dry, and back to rain. Now the wind was blowing like a hurricane and Pri was certain the ship would be blown over.

She dragged a heavy bucket filled with grimy water, a large sponge, and what she thought to be a soap of sorts. He new job was to 'scrub down' the mast. But Pri was sure that that job was an excuse for the shipmates to laugh at her inability to climb the netting without being nearly tossed off by the wind at every gust. Apparently these beings thought it to be no difficult task at all.

From snippets of information snagged from eavesdropping on shipmates as she worked, Pri learned that the ship was on its way to do battle with a group of demons: Ŧ¥ijðĦü. These creatures, according to the XǽŋģŁeЌħåʼn, were ferocious beasts. Pri found it hard to believe they could be any worse than the lot she was stuck with, but she continued on with her work in silence.

She was making her way past the crow's nest of the ship, it supposedly being empty, but she heard two voices conversing.

"Yeh, thas' righ'." Said the voice, which she recognized to be the captain's. "The Ŧ¥ijðĦü have sent a messenger. They say they've got a peace offrin' of sorts. Some kind er magicks dealio." The captain chuckled that deep, grim chuckle that Pri was learning meant no good. "Said it's mighty powerful. And t'aint from this world, either. It's wardin' 'em off, but apparently they gots it cornered in the clearin' of the woods. They sayin' they'll give it to us in exchange for them keepin' that land."

"Hells no." The other voice replied. "No disrespect, capn', but we were hired by the kingdom of ŠęŗġöĢņã to capture this land. Not to accept some shitload of blarney the Ŧ¥ijðĦü claim to be powerful magicks. Especially if it aint of this world. Who knows what it could really be or what it could do? It could be a weapon, and the 'offering' could be a trap they use to use the weapon against us. We should jus-"

"Lieutenant, I am the rankin' officer." The captain interrupted. "Do not question me. If it is a powerful magicks…thing, I'm sure it will most likely be a weapon. Us XǽŋģŁeЌħåʼn need more magick weaponry. I say, screw the ŠęŗġöĢņã. We get the weapon, return to the client, and inform them that we were…'unsuccessful' in gaining the land. We'll drop some of the crew off at one of our hiding posts and say we lost men. We get sent back to the land of the Ŧ¥ijðĦü with a full crew and we use the new weapon to kill off the inhabitants like we were intended to do."

Goddess…Willow…


The noises grew louder and more frequent, and Willow's spell seemed to be a dud. She'd tried re-modifying it several times, but to no avail. The various suns were setting, and it was growing dark. Willow shook with the effort of containing the darkness. She feared the growing night would empower the creatures and allow them to have at her. She feared she would be unable to keep her magicks working. Most of all she feared the fear she sensed growing within Pri.

She felt a strange wriggling in the ground on which she sat. It is only the breezes moving the grass, she told herself. No creature can harm me. I will find my way home. The Wicca breathed deeply the cooling air and exhaled slowly, hoping these meditations would relax her and help her magicks to perform better. She wanted to be able to keep her head on if a battle arose. The wriggling persisted. Yet it was more. The ground seemed to be trembling, and the trembling seemed to be rising to a quaking. From under her the ground was cracking, and something was trying to force its way out of the ground. No creature can harm me. I must not break the spell. Willow urged herself, but felt the darkness bubbling within her, telling her to move.