Chapter Thirty-five
The Harlot's Deck
Teak and Trely were growing tired of waiting for Autolycus to return. In fact, they were beginning to think that he had merely forgotten them and continued on his own way. Teak opened the door to take a peak, but although he couldn't see anything but an empty hallway, he could hear something sniffing. He did not realize, until he turned around to face Trely, that the sniffing was not outside their room but inside the room with them. "Trely," he whispered, "come here!"
Trely had felt something moving and had been too scared to move. She'd tried to call to Teak, but all that had come out was a frightened squeak. Slowly, keeping her eyes on Teak's face, the little Goblin began to move forward.
She wasn't moving fast enough for Teak, and he walked forward, grasping her hand and pulling her frantically toward the door just as the pink lioness' eyes came back into focus directly upon them. "We gotta get out of here!" Teak told Trely. "Before she comes after us!" He gulped noisily, trying to keep his fear from escalating.
Clawdeen eyed the two strange mice from the dark shadows of the sleeping quarters. She wasn't sure what these things were nor where her mistress and her captives had gone, but she did know one thing. She was hungry, and these things may be green but they should still be able to satisfy her appetite.
Trely finally did exactly what she had been trying to avoid doing. She looked over her tiny shoulder to see what had Teak so spooked and was just in time to see a huge cat flying at them with her claws unsheathed and her teeth gnashing at the air.
With a frightened squeal, Teak, holding firmly to Trely's hand, ran for their very lives. He could feel the hot breath of the cat breathing down his neck. Fear gripped his heart, and panic lit his feet. He threw Trely forward so that she was further ahead of him. "RUN!" he screamed at her even as he felt one of the cat's claws swiping at him.
Clawdeen growled under her breath as she drew back her claw from striking the male only to find that all she'd managed to get was a piece of soiled cloth. She glared angrily at the creatures that were running from her and realized that now she could see just a bit of flesh peeking out from the male's pants.
That near brush with death was all Teak needed to run even faster. He passed Trely, grabbing her hand once again and ran upward toward the deck. If only he could reach the King, he knew they'd be safe! The King would stop the cat! But where was the King?
He wondered, if he carried Trely, if they could go faster. He had never tried to pick her up before. He would try it, but he was afraid her reaction would cause him to lose even more time. It was then that they broke into a night lit up by a horrible, glowing creature and Teak stopped his onward flight, causing Trely to bump into him. "What is that?" he whispered to her even as he pulled her to the side and the big, pink cat flew past them.
Trely didn't know what the horrid thing in the sky was, but the sight made her tremble all the more in Teak's arms. Clawdeen did not take any notice of the sky, but she did stop in a hurry, digging her claws into the snow-laiden deck, as she realized that she'd overshot her food! With a growl, she turned back to face the two green things. Keeping her eyes locked on the quivering creatures, the lioness licked her lips and headed in for the kill.
The Harlot's Hold
Brendan's head was beside Prue's yet again as the Werewolf breathed into her ear, telling his mate that he was right there beside her but that she was going to have to open her eyes before she made the final step. His body remained strong and rigid behind hers, and he covered her completely.
Prue's eyes opened. It felt good to be held in Brendan's strong arms, despite the danger. She knew he'd get her to safety. Once it had seemed that it was a million miles away, but now it was at hand. She waited for him to tell her to make the next move.
Brendan reached out, placing Prue's hand on the bar by the opening of the cell. His fur rustled, but he grunted nonetheless, telling her to go.
Safety was within her grasp, and she moved slowly but surely, placing her other hand and her feet following. She knew that the minute he got her to safety, he'd run, and she didn't want that to happen but didn't know how to keep him from running. If her gag had been off, she would have tried to talk to him despite him being in wolf form. She felt that he would have understood. Once outside the open doorway, Prue waited for Brendan to join her. Then she heard some one talking to her.
Ray had decided to take this chance to approach her again, hoping that he had time to at least get the gag off of her mouth. He reached out and began to unlock the gag, but before he could reach the second latch, he heard the warning growl and the wolf was upon him.
The Werewolf had just been leaving the cell when the accursed stranger from before had dared to make another move on his mate. The very second Ray had touched Prue's gag, the Werewolf had tensed and began to prepare for battle. He'd remained silent while exiting the cell, however, and only growled once he had wood underneath his feet again. He wasted barely a split second on the warning growl, then charged the man from behind.
The Harlot's Deck
Didymus had been running around and around the deck and barking his fool head off until he could no longer get a sound out. Still, his mouth was moving, and if one got quite close enough, they could hear hoarse barks. He had not caught one scent of his beloved Jareth nor of his Queen, though he had smelled some awful smells this night.
He had just rounded the corner and had been overcome to complete silence at the awesome sight of the glowing creature that now captured his attention. He crept forward. "Surrender, ye knave!" barely gasped out of his mouth.
So weak was his voice that no one would have heard it. He continued walking toward the being, his eyes oblivious to anything around him until he walked into a surface that did not give. It stunk, and he realized that it was pink. Before it could react, he heard the frightened squeaks of Teak and Trely. "Unhand them, ye scurvy knave!" he rasped out.
Clawdeen had been closing in on her prey when something had slammed into her rear. She growled out, batting at the creature with her tail, but before she could turn around, the stupid thing had the audacity to tell her to surrender! Clawdeen growled again as she whirled around and slashed at . . . Clawdeen stared in surprise at the empty space behind her. She grunted. Where had it gone?
Standing facing Trely and Teak, Didymus demanded in a soft voice, "Why are the servants of the great King Jareth cowering in fear from this ugly, pink thing!"
Teak opened his disbelieving eyes. "Didymus?" How had he come to be here? he wondered.
Teak's surprised question was drowned out by Clawdeen's furious roar. How dare this thing insult her! She whirled back around to where she could hear the stranger's voice whispering and hissed at the odd dog. This silly canine thought he had the audacity to say that she was ugly! She'd never seen an uglier dog, let alone one foolish enough to dress like a miniature human! Her claws struck out at him.
Didymus fell back just in time to keep from being torn asunder by the giant claws. It angered him so much that he flipped through the air and landed on the back of the gigantic cat. With his cane, he began to pound the cat's back. "I CAN CONQUER THIS MOUNTAIN!" he shouted in a squeak.
As the dog began to beat her, Clawdeen roared again. She bucked wildly, but the dog refused to lose his purchase on her back. She began to run while simultaneously bucking, trying desperately to make him fall off of her, but Didymus clung on persistently.
Teak told Trely, "Trely open eyes! Trely gotta see this!"
Trely took one glance at the sight and quickly looked away, feeling certain that Didymus would end up being catfood before the sun rose. "We must go!" she told Teak. Grabbing his hand, she started to run with him . . . but wasn't even sure where they were running to.
Didymus clung on for dear life, pummeling the huge cat with everything he had. He hoped to drive her off the side of the ship. His mind had temporarily forgotten the huge, glowing being.
In The Sky
Frostbite had been busily icing animals on one of the ships when a commotion on another ship drew his attention back to it. His glowing, red eyes peered down, and he was surprised to find a small dog, dressed in human clothes, riding a pink lioness. He dismissed the unusual scene with a disdainful sniff, however, and began, once more, to focus his powers . . .
The Harlot's Deck
Faith was more tired than she could ever remember being before, but still she plunged on through the darkness, determined to do everything she could to find the rest of her family before joining Dawson, Lex, and the others in the ocean. She had passed more dead bodies than she would have been able to count even if she'd been trying and did not pause at any of them. Instead, she kept going until roars suddenly broke out. Looking quickly around for a place to get up on so that she could see what was happening, Faith jumped up on to the stomach of an unusually-hefty, dead Piratess.
Her bare feet pressed down into the woman's fat belly, the Piratess' blood running over her feet and toes. Faith did not even notice the blood that was squishing out beneath her as she turned to survey the deck. She found the source of the roaring quickly but did not recognize the cat. Still, she thought, it didn't matter. It was, after all, a cat.
Faith watched as the lioness circled around, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make out what was riding her. As the lioness swept closer, Faith realized that the feline's rider was one of the Jareth's subjects. It was the dog that rode the other dog, but it was still one of Jareth's.
The Harlot's Hold
Mouse had just been getting to her feet when she heard the Werewolf growl again. She'd seen the ugly beast attack her lover earlier, and now her head snapped up, her pink eyes instantly zeroing in on where the Werewolf's claws were slashing at Ray's back. "RAY!" She sprang to her feet and pulled her sword even as she screamed his name, her fangs flashing.
Mouse ran, hand-springing across the hold to place herself in between the Werewolf and her man. Her own fangs glistened in the darkness as she faced off against the Werewolf, whose blow did not stop but continued. Mouse yelled as his claws slashed into her stomach.
Terror showed in Prue's eyes. How could she stop the fight! She knew that the man had not been intending harm to her and also that he had been trying to get in touch with her for quite a while. He'd said he had something for her, but with the way Brendan was reacting, there was no way she was going to get her hands on whatever it was. She winced as she saw Brendan slash into the orange-haired woman but knew that she was helpless to do anything.
Ray screamed and raced forward to try to help Mouse. He saw fluid running from her body and winced. How badly had the Werewolf hurt his Mouse? It wasn't worth the damn necklace! All Ray wanted to do was to get Mouse away from the wolf, but he knew that, once Mouse started fighting, nobody could drag her away from it! He flung the necklace away from him in disgust; it just wasn't worth it!
The Harlot's Deck
Clawdeen was still trying desperately to knock the dog from her back when she suddenly became very cold. The lioness began to run even more as she felt a dreadful cold settle into her chest.
Didymus had been clinging desperately with his hind feet to the cat's skin and whipping his staff across the lioness' back with his right arm. He had been completely engrossed upon beating his enemy and not paying any attention to anything else, but suddenly he felt the cold change in the air. He was too dazed to figure out where it was coming from but could do nothing but hang on tightly as the cat took off running even faster.
Faith saw the ice spreading over the lioness' body even as the pink feline hurtled her way. Faith knew that Frostbite's attention had locked on to the cat and that the poor creature was seconds away from exploding and would take Jareth's subject with her if she didn't somehow stop it. Faith sprang from the dead woman's stomach and hurtled through the air, her hands reaching out for Didymus.
One minute Didymus was on the cat, and the next minute he was flying through the air, being held by something. "Unhand me, you villainess!"
"Shut yer damn yap," Faith shot back, "or I'll shut it fer ya!" Faith landed hard, her back colliding with the side of the Captain's cabin, even as Clawdeen roared and shattered into a million shards of ice.
In the Air/Destiny's Ghost's Deck
Rogue flew steadily upward, trying to keep herself hidden amongst the clouds, until she was behind the Elemental's head. She hoped to get closer to him so that she could lay her hands upon him and draw some of his power. She glanced back downward one final time where Joseph lay.
Boy, was he gonna be mad when he woke up! she thought. Part of her mind began to think of something that she could do to get back on his better side but knew that it would probably take an extremely long time to make it up to him. The other part of her concentrated on the Elemental as she drew nearer.
He seemed to be floating in mid-air, not really directly attacking anything at the present time after shattering the cat that had been roaring. She wondered what was wrong with him. Her eyes wandered back toward the remaining ships below, hoping to find some one, but in the pitch blackness, she could see no one.
Frostbite's icy winds continued to whistle like sirens as they sped through the area, whipping at everything in their path. He remained in the air, hovering in place, as he concentrated on the ships below him, those his sharp hearing could hear breathing, and the feeling that something was gnawing at his mind. Some one was trying to attack him, but it wasn't the one behind him. Who? he wondered. It had to be a telepath. He'd wait, let them come nearer to him, and then strike like the King Cobra he was . . .
Emma remained standing as the snow piled up around her. Her breathing was quiet, but the increasing winds had began to rock her body. Still, she stayed with her eyes shut and her entire brain completely focused on her enemy. Now that she had finally been reunited with Sean, she would let nothing and no one dare separate them again. This Elemental had to go, and she knew how to handle the monster, regardless of all the other failed attacks she'd borne witness to.
Emma's eyelids flicked and scrunched more tightly closed as she delved further into the Elemental's mind. Soon, really soon now . . . Just one more barrier . . . There! Her breath came out in a strangled gasp, though still she did not move consciously. She was in!
Rogue did not know when she first became aware that she was no longer the undetected sneaker. He was aware of her, and he was waiting for her like a cat waiting for a mouse. What kind of game was he playing? she wondered.
The winds had increased around her, and their icy fingers were stroking her in places that only Joseph had been. She knew that she didn't stand a chance against him. Joseph had been right, and she was in way over her head!
And, yet, the Elemental had not attacked her. Some one else must have most of his attention. She shivered as one of the winds got her in a very vulnerable spot and unconsciously moved backward just a bit. It seemed that the closer she came to him, the stronger the winds grew and the more intense the stroking had become.
She tensed, every muscle screaming out for her to attack, and yet, for the first time in her adult life, being totally terrified. She had to attack! She had to go forward before whoever was making the other attack was no longer able to attack! Maybe, because his attention was divided, he was not as powerful? She hesitated a moment longer, watching him intently. Would he move first?
Sean wished, for the thousandth time, that Emma had not closed him out. He wished he knew what was going on in her mind. She had not moved, and he knew that she was intently hoping to enter the Elemental's mind.
He prayed that she could handle what she would find there. Sean knew that she was one of the most powerful telepathics, and if any one could reach the Elemental's mind, it would be his love. He stayed ready in case she needed him, his hands itching to reach out and support her. When her strangled gasp finally came, he knew she had made contact with the being's mind.
Frostbite remained still, luring his female attackers closer. He did not even breathe for he had no need for oxygen in this form. His red eyes remained open, looking down at the ocean and ships below as though he was intently searching for something, but in truth, he already knew exactly where his attackers, and next prey, were. He gave the one behind him the chance to come closer while opening certain memories to the telepath. He let her sense his power and knew when she trembled.
Frolicking Monkey's Deck
"Ace!" Kat snapped as he finally ceased rolling her in the snow. Her green eyes blazed furiously up into his scared gaze. "Let me up! Ye knae I have tae stop him!"
"Kat, you can't stop him, my darling! You done tried! All is lost! He almost killed you! It's better that we take our chances in the sea!" He lifted his head and, in his next breath, told their animals to jump.
"Ace, nae ever'one can jump, an' ye knae it!" Though anger blazed in her eyes, they also shone with tears that she determinedly held back. "Ye get 'em off o' this damned ship, an' I'll di what mest be dine!" Her brogue was the thickest he'd ever heard it, but without giving him a chance to fully digest her words, Kat kneed him, forcing him off of her and jumping to her booted feet.
Ace slowly crawled to his feet. "Damn, Kat! You trying to cripple me!" He limped toward some of the bigger animals and began to guide them toward the railing.
He knew it was fruitless to try to stop Kat when she had her mind made up, but he had to do what he could to save their family. "It is better to die in the sea than to be blown apart by that thing," he told the animals in a quivering voice. Tears were running down his face. "There is not anything else that we can do."
"But, maybe if you're strong enough, you can swim." He knew, even as he said it, that some of them had not even the foggiest clue what a swim was, and he didn't have the time to show them. As he pushed one of the elephants until it fell off, making a big splash, he pulled Clyde off of his leg. "Go with them and try to explain swim!"
Clyde chattered angrily at Ace and tried to cling to him even as Ace threw him at one of the elephants.
The Harlot's Hold
The Werewolf's claws had sliced into Mouse's gut and were still there, causing her life fluids to flow out while he searched around within her for a vital organ. Mouse growled and hissed, her eyes and fangs flashing. She snatched his hand, yanked the beast's arm out of her stomach, and tossed it back at him. Then, still hissing, she tossed her sword to the side and attacked with her own claws.
The Werewolf howled as the Sprite ran her claws over him, cutting through his fur, that was matted with sweat and dried blood, and bringing fresh blood from him. He struck out at her, and Mouse ducked, sending his fist hurtling over her and nearly colliding into Ray. She flipped back up, kicking him in the groin and grabbing his chest in her hands. Her mouth angled for his neck, but his fist shot out, grabbing her neck and holding her fangs at bay.
So surprised was Ray's reaction to Mouse's new bold attack that his mouth had fallen open and he had fallen on his butt. He could not believe what he was seeing! He did not know what Mouse was capable of. He had thought her only to be a beautiful woman and a damn good hacker, but now the beast had come forth and had frightened Ray! Thank the User, she had never been pissed off enough at him to turn her powers on him!
He scrambled frantically out of the way and ended up next to Prue again. If he could just get the damn gag off of the woman, maybe she could control her beast enough to get his beast to stop fighting before they killed each other.
Prue was relieved that, at long last, the gag was coming off. She tried to call out Brendan's name, but nothing came out. Ray began to work on her other locks as Prue continued to try to call to Brendan. As Prue felt the locks coming off, she stopped trying to talk to Brendan in human. Nothing had come out. She opened her mouth and let go with a howl that began softly at first and grew.
Ray sat back on his butt again. Every woman must have something strange about them! he thought. Maybe this one was a Werewolf too! He eyed Prue suspiciously, praying that he had not released another Werewolf to attack his beloved.
The Werewolf had barely been holding the Vampiress at bay when he suddenly heard his mate call to him. His head snapped up, and he looked at her in surprise, a whimper of question on his tongue.
The beast's distraction was exactly what Mouse had been waiting for, and she wasted no time in using it against him. She twisted free from his hold, nipping at the claws that had held her and kicking him again. The heels of her boots connected with the wolf's ribs, and he howled as he fell back in pain.
The Werewolf's attention immediately returned to the Vampiress who stood before him, and he shook, spitting salvia at her, as he tried to keep his balance. Mouse knew she almost had the monster at the slipping point and leapt into the air, roundhouse kicking at his head. Brendan's hands shot out, his claws scratching Mouse's shin and ankle, as he caught her foot. The movement set him just enough off balance, however, that he found his back foot scratching desperately for a purchase . . . a purchase he could not hold.
Frolicking Monkey's Deck
Kat set out at a run, knowing she needed to get to the best position available. She had to go out in the open, somewhere where the Elemental could not help but to see her, somewhere where he could focus on her and not Ace, Captain, and their animals. Yet, as she ran, Kat was not alone. The old tabby cat who had once been her grandfather's companion kept perfect step with her.
As Kat leaped onto her cabin, Captain followed, but he was not prepared for what met him. As soon as Kat touched foot on the cabin's roof, she turned, snatching up Captain and throwing him towards the railing where Ace was. She did not see Clyde in the swift, final glance that she took of her beloved and knew that the monkey had already been put overboard.
Ace looked up as Captain flew over his head, landing on the neck of one of the giraffes who was bravely trying to swim as Clyde was telling them how. He turned to look back at Kat to watch his beautiful love for as long as he could only to find the chills running up and down his back as the monster was looking directly at him and their babies.
In the Air/Destiny's Ghost's Deck
Emma was no longer conscious of anything on the physical plane as she became completely absorbed in Frostbite's mind. She could sense his power, and the immensity of it made her tremble. She dove deeper, seeing so many of the murders he'd committed, hearing the dying cry of a dragon and the anguished yells of human children, feeling the power that had seeped into the evil Elemental with each life he'd taken and the pleasure that their fear had granted him . . . Still, she went deeper, needing to find that one little spot that would give her complete control. It wouldn't be long now . . . and then she'd take all these memories and the rest, even his knowledge of how to use his own powers, from him.
Frostbite's mouth twisted into a wry, one-sided grin. So the bitch thought that she could steal his knowledge from him? Wouldn't she and her little Leprechaun be surprised! She was close enough; now if the other one would only make up her mind . . . And what a pitiful mind it was, too . . . As he waited, his gaze came to rest on the activity going on on the third ship as the man tried desperately to get his animals overboard. He was tempted to laugh at the futile attempt but knew that laughter would give him away.
Rogue had steadily been coming closer, talking herself into what she knew she had to do. She had to dart in, lay a hand on him, and absorb some of his powers. She wondered why he had not iced her already, knowing that he could have from the second he had known she was there.
Oh, well, shugah, here goes nothin'! she thought as she pulled her right glove off and flew forward quicker than she'd ever flown before. The minute her hand touched his back, she felt millions of tiny, stinging sensations as though she had been stung by millions of stingrays but worse. Lights burst through her mind. Ah'm gonna die! she thought and pulled back in fright even as some of his power absorbed into her body.
Frostbite let go with a cry of triumph. He'd granted them just enough to be able to give them a taste that would remind them even in the afterlife that they could not mess with him! Even as he released the joyful sound, he attacked. A shatter of ice shards accompanied Rogue as he sent her spiraling directly at Sean. Simultaneously, he attacked Emma through the telepathic channel she'd opened to his brain.
Emma screamed as she fell backwards into the snow. She'd been fine and well on her way to beginning to wipe the Elemental's mind when everything had gone suddenly freezing cold. Now, her mind felt as though it were being iced, and her body was equally as chilled . . .
Rogue screamed at the top of her lungs as she fell rapidly toward Destiny's Ghost. She was completely out of her mind, and all she could feel was ice enveloping her body.
The Harlot's Deck
"My apologies, madam," Didymus said with a bow and a sweep of his hat to the lady. "Thank you for saving me from certain death." His eyes could not draw away from where he had last seen the cat explode. "We must hie us away from here as quickly as possible," he told her. Replacing his hat on his head, he said, "I do not believe we have made acquaintance before, but I am Sir Didymus at your disposal, fair damsel."
Faith grunted. She was going down quickly, but she knew she had to hold on. She had to get back to her feet, get this damn dog overboard to the ocean's relative safety, and start again after Jack, Salem, Katrina, and the others. "Yeah," she muttered weakly, "an' yer . . . " She rolled to her feet. "Yer about as full of shitt as they come." Without warning, she snatched the small dog up and hurled him over the railing.
Didymus could not believe the uncouth way the damsel had reacted to him when all he had been trying to do was to offer his services! How dare she treat a Knight of King Jareth's realm that way! He found his voice and managed to yell back at her, "THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT A KNIGHT! I COULD HAVE HELPED YOU!" He began to swim around in small circles, looking for something to crawl out of the ocean on.
Faith shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and stop the deck from moving ahead of her. She stumbled onward in the darkness, wondering where the door to below deck was. It had to be there somewhere, and she had to find it.
The Harlot's Deck
Teak and Trely had ran so fast that they had made it completely around the ship and back to their original starting place before realizing it. They tried to stop, and their feet slid out from under them, throwing them face first onto the snowy deck, their tiny bodies skidding past the railing and out into the deep ocean. Neither could swim, and frightened shrieks came from both.
"Over here!" Didymus called. "I'll save you!" He began to paddle toward them. He could see that they were trying to climb out of the water on top of each other, but they could not see the gigantic shadow that now came ever closer nor did they see the huge mouth open.
When he felt the pull of the ocean pulling him backwards, he did not realize what was happening until it was too late. All he could see was that Trely and Teak were also being sucked in, and as he fought against the current, his frail body finally gave in. It was just too much for the small dog, too much fighting for the Knight of the Bridge had only thought he was a great Knight and never considered that his body was only that of a small dog.
Frolicking Monkey's Deck
The Frolicking Monkey was filled with the sounds of frightened animals, including a Jamaican voice that persisted in talking to a cat who was barking his head off. Sebastian clicked his claws yet again in front of Wolfie's face. "Do you not hear me, mon! Pull yourself together! De cubs -- Dey need us!"
Wolfie looked at Sebastian with puzzled eyes, his mouth paused in mid-bark. "Yes . . . The cubs need us, and we must get them in the water!"
"Yeah, finally, mon, you get it together!" Shaking his head, Sebastian turned back to the cubs who were huddled together so tightly that they seemed to blur into one.
"Come this way, young ones!" Wolfie told them, and he began to walk toward the railing. Wolfie looked up into the man's face and saw the naked fear. He turned back to see that the cubs had not followed and were not even moving with Sebastian's claws clicking warningly at their tails. He raced back to pick the feisty one up, ran to the railing, and dropped her overboard.
In the Air/Destiny's Ghost's Deck
Sean was in complete shock. As Emma fell backward, he leaped to catch her. He could not see what was coming toward them, but it was screaming. It had to be some kind of deadly cannonball that he could not see, and with Emma not being able to react at the present time, it fell to him to do something.
He opened his mouth, and thus began the scream that had always before stopped any enemy, including shattering some. He flew upwards straight at the Ice Elemental, his scream increasing. He prayed that it would blow him apart but doubted that it would even make a dent.
It was then that he was hit with something in his chest that knocked him back toward Destiny's Ghost. The fall took all the wind out of his sails. If the snow had not broken his fall, he would have died. Like it was, he suddenly became cold from one end of his body to the other.
Is this how it feels tae die from cold? he wondered, feeling powerless to save himself and Emma, let alone Rogue who had been the one who had been thrown at him, as his entire body went numb.
Even as Rogue lay in a crumpled, shivering heap with Sean, Joseph stirred in his unconscious state. "Rogue . . . " he murmured, a deep feeling of icy dread clutching at his heart. His spirit knew his beloved needed him, but though he tried to come to, she had knocked him out too accurately for him to be able to awaken. Tears coursed down his unconscious face. It was too late . . . He had warned her, but she'd gone ahead . . . He had failed her . . .
With his attackers taken care of, Frostbite turned his attention back to two of the three ships. He was still waiting for the next attack from the pyrokinetic on the third ship, but he was through with these two ships. His popsicle was finally gone, and he was bored of just playing around with these little Pirates. With a single thought, both Destiny's Ghost and the Harlot shattered into a zillion icicles.
The Harlot's Hold
Prue screamed as she saw Brendan fall backwards. Her voice was joined by Ray's as he saw Mouse was being pulled quickly backwards with Brendan. He made a frantic leap, trying to catch them, but was a second too late.
The necklace lay forgotten on the floor. It slid downward toward the hole even as Brendan and Mouse fell to their fate. Ray jumped, following his beloved Mouse. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Prue jumping as well. He knew there was no hope for any of them.
Prue tried frantically to swim in the air toward Brendan even as Ray himself reached toward Mouse. They gained their respective loves only to find that there was nothing for them to catch on to. Prue's last thoughts were of her sisters; she hoped that they had made it. She had finally caught her Werewolf, but there was nowhere for them to go but down.
Ray pulled Mouse to him, and his lips locked with hers. He had not planned to die, but at least they were going together.
Up above, in what remained of the hold, Ororo reacted just a second too slow. She screamed out as Brendan fell and Prue jumped to their deaths. Logan's reaction fell on deaf ears as her winds whipped through the room and down into the hole. Ororo's eyes were shut as she saw from the wind itself, and she never saw the ice that filled the hold.
Logan felt the ice cracking all around them, and he reached upward toward his 'Ro, calling her name.
Ororo's eyes opened as Logan called up to her. She hadn't even realized she'd flown out of his arms nor did she have time to realize that now. Instead, as her eyes opened, their world finished exploding all around them . . .
Frolicking Monkey's Deck
The fear on Ace's face mirrored that in Kat's eyes, but as she took her gaze away from Ace, Kat turned toward the Elemental who was even now reaching out toward their ship. "LEAVE 'EM ALONE, YE BLOODY BASTARD! YE WANT POWER, DI YE! THEN TAKE ME, DAMN YE!" With that, she released a stream of fire straight for the Elemental's eyes.
Frostbite darted out of the pathway and iced the fire before it could turn direction. Even as Kat started with another stream, he reached out, shattering the very giraffe that Captain had been perched upon.
Ace screamed, "NNNOOOO!", and reached out longingly as though he could save the giraffe and Captain, but he saw Captain swimming toward one of the elephants and hoped that it would not be the next target.
"I SAID," Kat bellowed, throwing more fire, "TAKE ME! OR DI YE NAE T'INK THAT YER DICK IS BIG ENOUGH!"
Ace's mouth fell open in shock, not believing that his Kat was being so brave in trying to save her family. He wanted to run back and yell taunts at the being, as well, but he had a few more animals to get overboard. He continued trying to drop the animals as quickly as he could, but just as he reached each one, they shattered.
The male cub, seeing that his sister was gone, headed in the direction he had last seen her with no trouble. Sebastian followed right at his rear, which had the cub's tail stuck under it. "Jump, Wolfie!" he told the cat. "Soon as he in de water, you go in!" He knew that the tomcat could hear him despite the screaming redhead.
"YE T'INK KILLIN' 'EM OFF'S GONNA DI YE ANY GOOD? I'M THE THREAT TAE YE, SO YE'D BEST BE FOCUSIN' YER ICY ASS ON ME 'FORE I BURN IT OFF FER YE!" The Elemental only chuckled, however, and shattered a wolf just before Ace's hands could touch it. Kat changed the direction of her fire, aiming new streams for the monster's eyes, mouth, and the center of his legs, but again, he froze her fire.
Ace was crying so hard but still trying to rescue their animals even though he knew that it was all in vain because even the ones who he had managed to get to where he had thought they'd be safe in the water were being exploded by the damned creature! There was nothing that he could do, and Kat was not affecting him either! It was time to abandon ship, and he could not leave his wonderful Kat alone aboard the Monkey. He could not see any live animals out there swimming or floating or anything. He ran toward Kat, having every intention of taking her overboard, but slipped and fell just as a plethora of ice shards shot all around him.
Kat had given up taunting the Elemental and had continued screaming and attacking instead. No matter where she aimed, the monster still turned her fire to ice! Never before had she seen such a thing, nor would she have ever thought it possible! Was not fire supposed to melt ice?
Her mind spun as she tried to think of anything at all to save Ace. Yet, there seemed to be nothing . . . Then, finally, it hit her. Who had Ace said that the monster was after as he'd been muttering quick explanations to her on their way out of the cabin earlier? Pistol . . . Ristal . . . Crystal! "YE WANT CRYSTAL!" she shouted at him. "YE CAN HAVE HER!"
Ace blindly got to his feet and started running for Kat once more. If he could only reach her, he'd carry her over the side and into the ocean! Maybe they'd be able to hide from him?
He could see her just ahead, and then he heard her say Crystal's name! What new game was his Kat playing? As far as he knew, Crystal was already dead, or she would have sacrificed herself to the deadly being! He knew the whole story, though he hadn't had time to tell Kat. Crystal was dead; she had to be! So what was Kat playing at?
"YE WANT HER, DIN'T YE! THEN STOP SHATTERIN' ME ANIMALS, AN' I'LL GIVE THE WEE BITCH TAE YE! I'VE NE'ER HAD ANY USE FER HUMANS ANY DAMN WAY!"
Frostbite paused, wondering. Could his popsicle be down there, still alive, somewhere? He'd thought he'd taken care of her already, but he had thought that before, too. "Explain," he commanded in a hiss of fog as he pointed gnarled fingers of ice at the redhead's man, "or I shatter him."
Ace gulped. He knew he had to reach Kat, and he didn't want to be shattered! Almost there! he told himself. Almost there! When I get there, she's going over! The Hell with him!
Kat took a deep breath as she realized that she had the Elemental's complete attention. She had no idea where Crystal was nor even really who the bitch was, but that didn't matter. All she needed to do was to distract the Elemental long enough to give Ace a chance to get away. She just prayed he'd take it and not be a fool and come after her."WE KNEW YE'D ATTACK THE OTHER SHIPS FIRST, AN' WE KNEW SHE'D GIVE HERSELF TAE YE! LIKE I SAID, I DIN'T LIKE HUMANS, BUT I LIKE HER PETS!" Ace had said something about a dragon, cat, and wolf, hadn't he? She hoped he had.
"THAT'S WHY WE BOTHERED WITH PROTECTIN' HER, BUT THEY'RE NAE WORTH THIS!" She pointed a finger down at the cabin beneath her boots. "THEY'RE TIED UP IN THERE!" Take me, she prayed silently to Bast. Just let Ace get away.
The Elemental was right in front of Kat, and Ace knew that Kat did not even realize that he himself was almost upon her. He began a countdown. On nine, he would jump for her, and on ten, he would take her over. He continued to listen to her trying to talk the Elemental down. What plan was formulating in her mind? It didn't matter! It would never come to fruition, because Ace was there to save her!
Frostbite howled. Foolish woman! Did she not know that he had no need of little deals? With that, he shattered the remainder of animals that he could see, bringing one last scream from the Irish woman that caressed his ears, and then set his sights on the cabin and her.
Timing was crucial! Ace knew. Seven . . . Eight . . . The Elemental was looking at the cabin. In fact, his eyes were getting too damn narrowed on the cabin! What in the Hell had Kat been thinking when she'd told him that Crys was in the cabin! It would be the next thing to shatter in the hopes of getting Crystal, and Kat along with it!
He didn't know where Crystal was, but he hoped that somebody else had saved her. "Eight and a half," his voice trembled. Nine brought him to his feet and jumping toward Kat just as their cabin shattered, and ten carried them both over the railing a mere heartbeat before they would have exploded with the cabin.
Frostbite howled at the deceit even as a gigantic mouth swallowed Ace and Kat before they could ever hit the water. He'd had enough of these foolish games, and he'd make damn sure that Crystal was nowhere to be seen this time! With a scream, he shattered the Frolicking Monkey and set upon the debris that floated in the water, checking for anything that lived . . .
Nothing would survive this time, not even a piece of splintered wood! With that determination in mind, Frostbite turned the section of ocean he swirled over to pure ice and then promptly shattered it! He finally let his laughter bubble out as he flew in circles over the ocean, proudly surveying the bloodied, empty water.
