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Chapter Two:
"A Rogue's Crisis"
"Well, Vyse, I guess that says it all about your treasure hunt." The pirate in question sighed, leaning on the rail that hugged the deck. He put his chin in his palm, looking out into the darkness of Deep Sky. The Delphinus was currently in the swirling Rift that guarded the North Dannel Strait, below the floor of clouds. To look up gave the strange feeling of an underwater world, where the blue depths surrounded them like a dense haze. The light filtered down through the double-clouds, while the below swirled like an endless void. The air was breathable but it was heavy, and tasted of acid and age. Around them, the bottoms of floating continents poked through the atmospheric ceiling. Most notable were the jagged, yellowed peaks of Valua, situated to the north, while the coppery stalactites under Nasrad hang to the south.
Just below the Delphinus's bow was what remained of a small sunken island. It was shattered to pieces, with a huge, glowing moonstone still pulsing in the center of a giant crater. Vyse looked at it, mourning the loss of what could have been. This was surely their target – the other markings on the medallion were parts an altitude split into four. Ilchymis had given him a sheet of paper that morning with an ink stamp of the medallion, the crisp lines of dye far exceeding the accuracy (or lack thereof) of dessert.
"At least we get a hefty moonstone, right captain?" Aika supplied helpfully, rubbing her gloved hand up and down Vyse's back. Fina stood to his other side, mesmerized by the glow of the rock with Cupil perched above her right shoulder.
"I can't believe the only island in the Strait was destroyed by the Rain Galcian brought down," Vyse said for a second time, pounding his fist down on the rail. The girls went quiet as a drop ship departed, Lawrence and a few other crewmen descending to the island to collect the stone. The three watched with only the company of the sublunary winds whispering in their ears.
"Oh, Vyse, it'll be okay," Aika tried again, biting her lip slightly.
"Vyse, do you want to go lie down?" Fina suggested as his fingers curled around the rail. The girls flashed each other a glance of concern before he finally relaxed, laughing.
"I think I'll be okay," he chuckled. "I guess I'm just disappointed mostly because the build-up was so exciting. All that speculation for nothing but a moonstone."
"And a big one!" Aika chirped, turning to look back down at their crew as grunts and straining yells swam up from the impacted island. "I mean, to cause all that damage. . . Gosh, I hate thinking about those Rains." Fina nodded absently, another reminder of the destruction just meters away from them.
"Looks like they're all set," Vyse murmured. "Let's return to the bridge and take off. I hate being this close to Deep Sky."
"Aye aye," Aika confirmed, nodding definitively.
As they turned to cross the steel plates of the Delphinus's hull and enter the safety of their ship, a disturbingly loud rumble caught they're attention. The ship quaked like it was under intense cannon fire, Vyse having to grab the rail with one hand and Aika with his other to keep from falling. Fina fell into the banister and braced against the shudder, her pet spinning in the air wildly. Aika gaped speechlessly as she clutched Vyse by the coat and shook him, pointing to the north as the ship-shaking tremor seemed to intensify. Fina's closed eye popped open and followed their horrified gazes, her mouth dropping open at the sight.
"Holy hell!" Vyse shouted, watching in disbelief as parts of the Valuan continent, pieces larger than Crescent Island and some even as larges as some Yafutoman islands broke away from the mainland and fell into the depths. Thick columns of sharp rock pierced Deep Sky, leaving mammoth scars in the clouds. They plummeted into the Great Below, leaving fresh rock exposed from below the continent.
"Look out!" Aika yelled, shoving the two back toward the center of the deck, diving after them as a chunk of Valua came down and struck the starboard side. Hypnotized by the collapse of the landmass, neither Fina nor Vyse were ready to look up at the looming edge of continental shelf that shadowed them. The piece that struck the ship was small, but a hissing fissure was split in the bow of the mighty vessel. Vyse scrambled to his feet while Aika helped Fina to a quivering stance. He rushed to the comm.-tube, screaming a mayday to the bridge.
"Ship damaged! I repeat: ship damaged! Engage accelerator and turn 18 degrees to port! Get us out of here!" He listened hopefully, relieved when Lawrence's cool composure returned a calm 'aye aye.'
"Vyse!" Fina yelled, pointing to the sky as Aika un-shouldered her boomerang. With the continent falling apart, the beasties that made it their home were out and swarming, maddened by the destruction of their dwelling. Sighting the Delphinus, a cluster of Stonebeaks swooped in on the aft. Spotting them, Fina readied a blast of magic, but Aika ordered her back to the bridge.
"I'll take care of it!" she shouted as Vyse ran up beside her.
"C'mon Fina!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "We'll head to Nasrad. Get rid of those Stonebeaks, Aika!" She grinned, pointing at the encroaching flock with her cobalt boomerang. As Vyse and Fina disappeared into the ship, the redhead smiled evilly. "Of course, captain."
She cracked her wrist, spinning her boomerang like a dervish. Around her, a sudden hot wind swept up, the flaps of her dress sent into a flutter, her braids dancing in the air. "Back off, creeps!" she bellowed, the turn of her weapon racing faster and faster. She and her Hydra Wing took on a rubicund glow, the world around them sinking into blackness. Finally, with a loud flash and a heavy cry, she shouted, "Alpha Storm!"
Rings of deadly fire erupted from her boomerang, capturing the flock of charging Stonebeaks and disintegrating them. As the flames died away and as her boomerang came to a stop, a shower of ash came down in front of her, the beaks of six deadly birds dropping like bricks onto the deck. Satisfied, she raced for the door, escaping to the bridge before more creatures could interfere.
-o-
Safely enclosed in Nasrad's port, hovering near the rocky harbor, the wounded Delphinus sat under the shade of the reef, smoke drifting out of the long, sharp tear in its hull. Aika and Fina waited near a crate of cannonballs, both wiping liberally at the sweat that collected on their skin. They hadn't been in Nasr for more than five minutes before the heat became nearly unbearable. It was looking to be a particularly sweltering day. Aika had un-strapped her dress, showing off bare shoulders, the perspiration miraculously holding the bodice to her skin, while Fina had stripped off her leggings, limbs bare under her dress. She groaned as the sweat collected on her legs and fluttered the material to generate some air.
"I'm starting to hate Nasrad," Aika murmured. "I wish I could just dive into that fountain in the main city." She started walking toward the stairs with Fina following dutifully. They climbed the sandstone and entered the tunnel, both sighing at a soft breeze coupled with much-wanted shade.
The Silvite nodded, laughing. "It's really much worse today than it was yesterday. This is unspeakable heat!" Emerging into the sunlight, their hands shot to their eyes while Cupil tried to hide behind the short shadow Aika cast.
"Honestly, can't you turn into an umbrella, or something?" she asked the little blob desperately.
"Oh, Aika, that's not fair. Cupil hates the heat, too!"
They settled under a balcony, strafing a door that just then opened, Vyse emerging into the port from the Quartermaster's shop. Fina grabbed him by the arm before he could stray. "What's up, Vyse?"
"We'll be here for a couple hours," he started, having to take off his coat when he reentered the blasted sunlight. Subtly, the girls admired, but returned their attention to his voice as he continued. "I put in an order for a patch job and some supplies – we'll have Brabham repair it properly. But they can't work until the heat comes down a little."
"But, but it's not even noon!" Aika whined. Vyse shrugged, walking toward the fountain.
"Yeah, but we can't leave. The compression would wreck the hull before we made it home, and you know smoke is an invite for pirate attacks. We could try piloting a lifeboat back, but I don't want to risk cannon fire."
"Ugh, damnit," Aika kicked a patch of sand, crossing her arms. "Well, maybe I can find something more forgiving to wear. I'm dying." Fina giggled, hooking her arm. "I second that." Cupil chirped, nuzzling in between them. Vyse took a quick splash of water to his face before turning around.
"Well I'm going to hit the bar after I debrief the crew. I want to grab a meal."
"Okay!" the girls chimed, racing up the steps and towards the merchants of Nasrad. Vyse walked back to the harbor, jumping up onto the stony banister and sliding down on worn soles. Satisfied that he'd impressed at least someone with his stunt, he quickly made tracks for his boat. He pulled off his red scarf while he was at it, tossing the bundle of clothing onto the bottom of the metal dinghy.
Soon, he was rising up to the Delphinus, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight. He trained his sight on his ship, hand over his brow, when the glass of his goggle darkened once again. He gasped slightly, if just because it caught him off guard, the blackness already gone once he'd realized it happened. He looked around as though some specter were playing tricks on him, but brushed it off and quietly piloted the tiny ship up to its mother.
Stepping into the bar was a relief known to a grand portion of the resident of Nasrad. If the people weren't trying to work their way into forgetting about the heat, they were hiding from the merciless sun in the safety of the tavern. The smells of exotic food, the hint of precious booze and the darkness – that kind of darkness that only occurred after having your eyeballs assaulted by pure sunlight for a healthy ten minutes made up what was surely a heaven on earth. Vyse enjoyed the feeling so much, he was tempted to leave the joint just so he could do it again. However, the maddening bake of desert sand and the chilling call of a glass of water both pushed and pulled him, respectively, into taking a seat. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dimly lit bar, the sight of the waving keeper a welcoming one.
Oh, and Gilder was there.
"Wait, Gilder?"
The red-coated sailor looked up from his rum, spinning on his stool to take a gander at the voice that uttered his name. "Vyse!" he cried with a grin, hopping up and extending a hand. The teenaged pirate took it and shook his fist heartily, earning a pat on the back as a few heads in the joint turned to verify what was surely a case of mistaken identity. However, as the Rogue took a seat next to his former compatriot, whispers began to circulate from ear to ear: Vyse the Legend was really in Nasrad.
"Vyse, good to see you," Gilder said warmly, raising his glass.
"Aye, you too!" the younger replied cheerfully. He told the barkeep to get him something cold, and, with the flash of a crystali spell, had a tall pilsner of ice water sat before him. With a "thank you," Vyse took a long drink while Gilder took the time to finish off the last of his rum. He ordered another one, and if not for Vyse's stepping in, might have ordered a round for the entire house.
"Ah, relax, kid," Gilder chided. "After what I saw, I need a couple drinks." Vyse was taken slightly aback. Surely he hadn't heard of Valua's partial collapse already, had he? With a sudden pang of guilt, he wondered how Enrique was handling the restoration and if a visit was in order. There would be time for that, later.
"What did I see, you ask?" Gilder repeated, earning a slightly exasperated nod. "I'll tell you. Say, where're the girls?"
"Gilder," Vyse said, a little stern, calling him back to his attention.
"Ah, right. Well, I was sailing the South Ocean trying to shake Clara, the persistent little vixen. So I'm pulling the Claudia left and right around the wind tunnels, right? Hoping that the Primrose might not be able to take the stress. Well, she keeps after me but, luckily, I have a good two-hundred yards on her. I figured that once we broke into Ixa'taka, we could clear a shot toward Yafutoma or hide out in the stone barrier." As soon as his drink was in hand the liquid disappeared, causing Gilder to pause. The tone of his voice, however, told Vyse that there was something else making him consider his words. He found himself urging Gilder to continue.
"Vyse," he finally said, after what seemed like a few minutes of watching ice melt. "Ixa'taka—Horteka, really. . . It's been destroyed." Vyse reeled back, a flailing arm sending the pilsner tumbling toward the ground. The bartender grabbed it before it shattered, but the mess had already been made.
"What?" Vyse cried, a hush falling over what was once a room swelling with chit-chat. Gilder cleared his throat.
"When I was in the South Ocean, the wind currents felt stronger than usual . . . I mean, really strong. When we got to Ixa'taka . . . it was like a hurricane had swept across the landscape, blowing everything down in its path. A few survivors were there, but . . . the suddenness of it just took them and me by surprise. The air was as still as stone, Vyse. I got out of there before anything could happen to the Claudia."
Feeling a little sick, Vyse slowly sat down. "Centime," he muttered. "And Merida, their home. . ." Suddenly, the tavern door burst open and Clara, the Pirate in Love, entering the still room. She was smiling, but wasn't her usual jovial self.
"Sweetheart," she fluttered, taking Gilder by the arm. "Just look at who I found in the market!" Behind her, Aika and Fina strode in, both wearing particularly flashy Nasrian clothing. Fina was a little reticent to show off so much skin, but Aika was happy as a clam, a sack with her clothing slung over a shoulder.
The redhead wore a two-piece pale orange outfit trimmed with fiery red hems and stitching. A skirt hung tied from her right hip and slanted jauntily, exposing an almost scandalous amount of her pelvis while dual splits revealed a large portion of her smooth and pale legs. She held it up with a black belt skewed in the opposite direction, a gleaming golden buckle squarely in the middle. Her midriff hugged her loosely, fluttering around her chest while her sleeves drooped like wilting leaves, her shoulders left bare. They dropped to her elbows, a complex geometrical pattern of intersecting crimson squares surrounding the hem. On Aika's head, an off-white flat cap sat tipped to the side, the long brim offering her eye much needed cover. Her goggles, instead, hung around her neck. She stuck with her boots, not willing to find out if any new footwear would be able to take the heat of the sands.
Fina, on the other hand, had deigned to wear something like pants, but to her slight dismay the thin material struck as something similar to what they'd seen Belleza model on their first trip to Maramba. The soft-blue satin ballooned out from her shapely hips, something like mesh floating around her skin until the ankles, met by gray moccasins. If Aika had not been so convincing, she wouldn't have to stand there with a murderously small bikini bottom covering parts better left to the imagination. She wore a matching top, arms completely wrapped in the same material before they fed into a very opaque but very skimpy top, with just her breasts completely covered. A brass ring held the Copenhagen-blue cups together, while smaller rings connected the straps that went around her neck and back. She wore two golden anklets, paired by similar, thick and flat bracelets.
It took some persistent nudging for Gilder to get Vyse's attention.
"And yeah," Gilder said to his companion, whom Clara had just then noticed. "She caught me."
"Vyse," she smiled cordially while he took her hand, finally tearing his eyes away from Aika and Fina. Despite the news he grinned, giving it a small kiss, at which she gave a merry laugh. "Now now, don't make Gilder jealous." She sighed as the other girls came up to the bar, earning a few catcalls from the back of the bar. "I suppose you know about Ixa'taka, then?"
Aika frowned, ignoring the whistles. "Wait, what did we miss? What happened?"
Gilder ordered a third round, trying his damnedest not to stare.
"Actually Clara, yes," Vyse answered "And while we're at it, we've got a story for you two, as well."
About an hour later, parties having exchanged their visions of atrocity, the group of five was seated at a table near the corner of the bar. Aika held Fina's hand, as she was still a little shaken about the news she'd heard. Quietly, the Silvite pet her resting Cupil, who was sleepily nestled in her lap. Vyse sat by her side, running a hand through his hair for a third time, while the remaining pirates sat across from the group of three.
"I still can't believe this," Aika murmured.
"Yeah, and you guys lost a treasure, to boot." Gilder received a small smack from Clara, and decided to bite his tongue for the rest of the evening. Softly, the captain of the Primrose spoke.
"It'll be okay. Why don't we all head back to Crescent Island? We'll be better able to think there." Vyse began to nod but the shook his head.
"The Del sustained some damage and we need to wait until it cools down for repairs."
"Why don't you take the Claudia with me, Vyse?" Gilder suggested.
"I'm not crazy about leaving her alone."
"I'm sure she'll be fine, Vyse," Aika soothed, reaching behind Fina to rub his back. "I think Clara's right. We need to be home. Too much has happened for us to not plan our next step."
"I agree," spoke Fina, breaking her silence. "We must go back. I sense that something. . . I don't know, but something terrible is happening, and it isn't over." Aika squeezed her hand as means to comfort her, but she began to tremble, unable to speak. "I wish the Elders were still here," she began, a hint of a sob in her quiet voice. "They . . . they would know. . ." Guilder and Clara exchanged a glance before excusing themselves to let the three talk.
"Fina," Vyse said softly, placing his arm around her shoulder. "Try to relax, Fina. Clara's right, we shouldn't try to do this here. We'll go back to Crescent Island and we'll work things out." Aika's arm found its way around the Silvite's trembling back and pulled the girl close.
Optimistically, she hugged, her, a subtle grin on her face. "It's not the end of the world, Fina. We already dealt with that and we made it. Whatever is happening to Arcadia, we can beat that, too." She thought she heard Fina attempting a laugh, her erratic breaths calming under the soothing touch of her friends.
"R-right," she said, wiping furtively at her eyes. "I should be stronger than this," she continued, blushing. "It just reminds me of the Rains and what Ramirez did." Quietly, she sighed. "Thanks, guys. . ." Aika gave her once last squeeze, cheek pressed against hers, pulling back with a wide grin as she got up and stretched her legs.
"You bet! Vyse, Clara and Gilder are waiting outside. What're we gonna do?"
Vyse stood, helping Fina to her feet as Aika looked at him expectantly. He winked at his girls, pulling on his coat and stuffing his ascot in his pocket. "We're off to Crescent Island, of course. We'll pick up the Delphinus tonight after we get a better understand of the situation. And I want to talk to Enrique. I mean, it's enough that he gave us the Del after his master fleet was set up, so I think we owe him a visit, especially now." He raised his hands, Aika and Fina knowing precisely what to do.
High fives met once, then twice, and arms were raised to the sky as they chimed "aye aye!" in unison. Fina could no longer suppress a smile as they moved toward the door. "Vyse," she said, hope once again laced in her sweet voice. "And Aika. . .Thank you."
"Any time," he replied softly. "We're a team."
"The best team," Aika corrected.
"And we're waiting in blasted 110-degree heat!" Gilder yelled from outside, Clara's giggle heard even over the din of their laughter. They filed out into the city, making a beeline for the port. The barkeep smiled as he watched them exit, having overheard his share of conversations; rarely, though, did he get to listen to any as inspiring as those with Vyse the Legend.
-o-
Once on their island, Fina and Aika had changed back into their traditional pirate garb, the heat of Nasr not yet reaching the cool climate in which their home sat. Docked nearby, visible from the cliff-face office, the Claudia and the Primrose sat locked by anchors, seemingly holding hands against the slowly setting sun. Vyse watched the shadows crawl across the formidable ships, their endless chase arrested, at least for the moment. At the table, where just about a half a day ago a feast had laid scattered, Fina, Aika, Clara and Gilder sat in wait. Clara's cheek was busy nuzzling against Gilder's slightly irritated arm while the two teenaged girls were being entertained by Cupil.
The fact was that they'd only gotten back about two hours ago, a hunt for Lawrence taking much time away from their initial plan of departure. When they'd finally found him, he we quietly patrolling the merchant's square, though Aika would swear up and down that neither she, Fina nor Clara had seen him while they shopped. Despite questioning – despite aggravated questioning, Lawrence didn't say much regarding his whereabouts. Though, he did volunteer to keep watch on the Delphinus which put a great weight off Vyse's mind. Most of the crew had returned with Vyse aboard the Claudia, while Belle, Nara and Lilly spent the voyage talking shop (that is to say, gossip gossip gossip) with Clara aboard her suggestively phallic vessel. Every now and then, Vyse swore he could hear the giggles coming from her bridge, even though he was upwind and, not to mention, encased in a practically sound-proof metal cabin.
The legendary rogue swiveled around and returned to his seat at the table. They'd already covered a grand portion of what they'd collectively seen, with the heat of Nasr never really far from anyone's mind. While Valua collapsed and while winds tore apart the Ixa'takan continents, there was something in the burning climate of Nasr that reeked of destruction.
"Alright, gang, let's keep talking. Gilder, I think it'd be good to have you stick around for a while. If something is happening, I want you nearby to help take care of problems." Vyse kicked a foot onto the table while Gilder flashed him a thumbs-up, one that was nearly immediately seized by Clara.
"Now Clara," Vyse grinned. "You can hang out, too, of course." He turned his attention to Aika and Fina, who had to instruct Cupil more than once to not be so disruptive. "Tonight, we're going to take the Vagabond to Nasrad and pick up the Del. By then, we should be loaded up on supplies and the hull should be adequately patched. Gilder, I want the Claudia to follow in case we run into black pirates."
"Yeah, sure, but what's the Vagabond?" Gilder asked, trying in a not-so-subtle fashion to free his hand, currently clenched tightly in the embrace of Clara's arms and breasts. He didn't mind the pillows, but a button from her bodice was beginning to dig into his skin.
"I'm surprised you don't know! When Enrique returned to Valua, we returned the Delphinus to his care shortly after we recovered a ship of our own, owing to the help of my dad and a few friends. It's pretty formidable, a little longer than that Little Jack, outfitted with a Harpoon Cannon and some nice main weapons, too. It fights a good battle – probably as well as the Albatross II or even the some of the ol' Valuan Admiral's ships. And with all the Valua weaponry we'd recovered from said ships, it was easy to make the Vagabond a pirate's dream.
"Of course, once Enrique had developed a master fleet based off the Del, he gave it back to us knowing how much we liked it. . . it was really rather nice of him." Vyse began to chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Hell, it seems like everyone came back, except for Don, of course. He's still working down in Esperanza. Looks like they couldn't stay away from adventure."
The attendants at Vyse's table shared a chuckle while Gilder looked almost baffled. "Vyse, you truly are impressive." With a smirk, the captain simply shrugged.
"Maybe. But I couldn't have done it alone."
"Just take a compliment!" Aika yelled as she threw a balled-up piece of paper at him. He batted it out of the way prepared to return fire when Clara threatened to lay down some discipline.
Obediently, Aika, Vyse (and even Fina, who'd picked up the paper that had bounced off Vyse's hand and landed in her lap) dropped their weapons. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Anyway. Tomorrow, I want to go talk to Enrique. We haven't seen him in at least a month – not since Ilchymis returned after having established a pharmacy. I'm sure he's going nuts with what's happened. Tonight, though, after retrieving the ship, I want us to get some rest. It's been a bit of a stressful day."
"Here here," Aika said, a knock on the door following on the heels of her voice. Heads turned as the squeak of hinges and the click of a lock let in the sword smith, Ryu Kan. Vyse stood up and quickly walked over to greet him.
"Sorry if I'm intruding," he said with a gravelly voice. "But, Vyse, I have a word I'd like to speak with you regarding the Velorium." Both Aika and Fina sat up, listening intently as Vyse ushered him outside to talk. He flashed the girls an innocent look, closing the door behind him. Ryu Kan patiently waited until the bolt latched.
"I'm afraid that something has gone wrong, Vyse," he plainly stated.
"Wrong?" the pirate echoed.
The elder nodded. "Indeed. . . I'm unable to smelt it. No matter how hot the fire, no matter how heavy the hammer, I haven't been able to even dent this metal. Vyse, I'm not sure it's Velorium." A little disappointed, the captain sat down on the bench.
"What could it be?" he asked.
"I haven't a clue, son. I left it in my shop, though. Perhaps Ilchymis could take a look at it? He expressed interest in watching me labor over it, so perhaps he has an answer to a question I can't even begin to fathom. It has all the properties of Velorium except I can't mold it."
Vyse slowly nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Have Ilchymis take a look. Maybe it's impure." Ryu Kan nodded, turning for the elevator.
"Indeed." As the old man walked away, Vyse stood up and cracked his back. He watched as Ryu Kan turned and waved, returning the motion with the news still fresh on his frowning face. As Ryu Kan descended, Vyse suddenly reached up to his Skyseer goggle with a frustrated grunt. However, the sword smith had disappeared before he could see Vyse strip off the glass and hold it out at arm's length. What was once opaque was now clear.
Nonplussed, he cautiously strapped it back on, testing out its magnification on a far off island. Satisfied to be able to count the leaves on a tree that could barely be seen with the naked eye, he shrugged. "Still works," he mumbled, turning to reenter the office.
Once inside, Fina suddenly stood up, quieting the other three.
"Vyse, I've made a decision."
"What do you mean?" he asked, slowly approaching the table. She swallowed, looking resolute.
"I'm going to go the Shrine Island." All eyes turned to her, a few pairs surprised by the unwavering decisiveness.
"What?" Vyse asked. "Why?"
"I think I can find some answers if I check there. Being who I am, I might be able to tap into the very livelihood of the Island. It is, after all, a Silvite creation. There might be something there for me to uncover."
"Fina, are you sure that's a good idea?" Aika cautioned, her arms draped around Cupil.
She turned her eyes down, her fingers curling at her sides. "I don't know . . . but the more we understand what's happening, the better. Right? I've been thinking about this ever since we left Nasrad. Silvites have always been in tune with their creations and I'm certain that there's something there . . . some . . . library of information left by. . ." She swallowed. Hard. "By . . . the Elders."
Vyse opened his mouth to reply, but gave it a second thought. Rarely had he seen her so sure, but to her credit, when she was sure she was usually correct. Fina stepped up to him, taking hold of his hand. "Please, Vyse, I know it's sudden but we need to know. I can take my ship and I'll be back before night's end." He was weakening, once resolute to politely stop her, now willing to send her on a mission all her own.
"I'm not sure," he finally said. "I don't want you to get hurt. Can't this wait until tomorrow?" She shook her head.
"Not really. If I can achieve what I think I want to achieve, it very much hinges on time spent. Ever hour wasted could be a key never again to be known." She squeezed his hand, her big, green eyes never breaking away from his. Even if he wanted to, he could not look to anyone else for assistance. Aika watched quietly, hands folded in front of her face. Gilder and Clara were equally taken in by the unexpected outpouring.
"Please, Vyse," she repeated, softly and melodically. He finally, albeit hesitantly, spoke.
"And you need to go alone, I take it."
"It'll work best if I'm the only one there." She bit her lip, seemingly creeping closer to his, despite being quite literally pressed into him. He relented, hesitantly nodding.
"Right now, anything sounds like a good idea. Take provisions and keep a sharp eye out."
"Oh, Vyse!" she squeaked, throwing her arms around his neck. Fina disengaged from the hug and took up his hand a second time. "I promise I'll be back soon. And I'll be okay. Ever since we found that third Abirik cham, Cupil has been stronger than ever before." Excitedly, she started for the door. He reached out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her back to the table.
"Hold on," he chuckled. "We're not done yet."
"Oh," Fina said breathlessly, "of course."
She quickly took her seat and politely watched as Vyse cleared his throat. Though, no matter how still she sat, as Vyse continued to talk, the gears in her mind were already churning. There was something exhilarating about having her own mission and having earned the trust to do it solo. She was already planning what to take, how to get there and what she might encounter. Fina watched her captain talk, but could not hear the things he said. Her thoughts were busy with what lay ahead – what she might have to fight, what she might learn, and the exclusivity of going on her own.
While she lost herself in the magnitude of her upcoming quest, Aika was carefully watching her. She wouldn't say a word, but when she saw Vyse grant her her wish, an inexplicable panic gripped her, one she had to fight to keep inside. It closed around her heart and chilled her spine, making her short of breath, if only for a moment. What she was concerned about, she was unsure, but the presence of anxiety was clearer now than it had ever been.
Soon, the meeting had come to a close, the group of five descending the cliff face together. Vyse escorted Clara and Gilder to their temporary quarters while Aika tailed Fina to the island's items storage. They entered the belowground port in silence, the redhead practically having to jog to keep up with her. They slid down the pole to the floor below one by one, Aika tempted numerous to call out after the Silvite. Fina had barely registered that she was being followed, her awareness wrapped tightly under the turns of her busy mind. She passed through a door freshly set into one of the caverns walls, entering a newly built storage room. She used a quick spell to light a nearby candelabrum which barely lit the small, boxy pantry, eagerly searching though shelves of regenerative spells, healing spells and a few attack spells to cover that which she still hadn't been able to master.
Aika closed the door, startling her. "Sorry," she replied, leaning against the exit.
"What's wrong?" the Silvite asked after her heart had slowed its pace.
"Nothing!"
Fina watched her for a few seconds before rooting around through a box set high on a shelf. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, of course."
The girls were silent then, Fina climbing and ducking, looking around impatiently for the things she'd need. She felt Aika watch her but didn't pay much attention. The lure of upcoming duty had seized her in full and even the unease that was clearly coming from the other side the room couldn't distract her. The redhead was growing restless, her leg bouncing a little as she switched support from right to left. She raised her arm and prepared to speak, but her point was killed when Fina turned away, looking around in a deep barrel for some foodstuffs.
Aika didn't really understand why she felt like interfering. It might have had to do with the role-reversal that had arrived from no where - just a few hours ago, she found herself soothing the Silvite from a panic attack. Now, however, she watched the woman displaying her strengths and felt powerless to stop her.
She trusted Fina and Vyse more than anyone in the world and should really have no problem with what was happening. The quickness was throwing, but in times like this, when it seemed like the world was virtually destroying itself, fast action was critical. It didn't mean, however, that she liked to entertain the idea of this being the last time she'd see her friend alive.
Ridiculous, she thought, harshly scolding herself. Still she could not hold back. "Fina?" Aika asked.
"What is it, Aika?"
She shook her head. "I mean, I'm just. . . I don't know," she admitted with a sigh. "I'm worried, and I don't know why." Fina set down the bulging sack of supplies, stepping around a box and taking a seat on a barrel across from the girl.
"Aika, you know I'll be okay," she replied, hands pressed into the top of the wood. "I just need to do this. I need to know what's happening. We need to know."
"Is this the best way?" the redhead pleaded. Even in the shadows, Fina could see the concern written across Aika's face, her eyes cast down to the floor. She slid from the barrel and stepped up to her, taking Aika's bare hand. "Fina, don't go," Aika asked, turning her head up to look at her face, to maybe stare her down.
"I have to," Fina said simply. Aika relented, knowing quite well that there were few things harder to do than change her mind. She quietly held her hand and figured that she probably was going in the best interest of the crew and possibly of Arcadia. That in mind, she finally nodded, succumbing to Fina's wish; her solidarity was strangely comforting and almost hypnotic. Fina pulled Aika into a tender embrace which was received for at least the few seconds before the door swung open.
Aika quickly unwrapped her arms from around her as Gilder peeked in. "I gotta go," she said quietly, ducking past him as he stepped out of the way. He glanced to Fina inquisitively, who was fortunately hidden deep enough in shadow that he could not see the almost hurt look on her face.
"Is the booze in here or . . . ?"
Fina smirked slightly, reaching down to grab her satchel. "Not exactly, Gilder." She extinguished the candlelight with a puff of breath from her ever-present Cupil and led the curious pirate from the storehouse and back to the surface of Crescent Island.
-o-
As dusk settled in over Nasrad, the bright moon growing more and more red as the darkness took over the sky, Lawrence, the mercenary, sat in the lifeboat with his arms folded across his chest. The hull had been temporarily repaired an hour ago, the sunlight finally retreating behind some heavy clouds. The men had worked quickly, bringing the Delphinus back into operation under the watchful eye of her helmsman. As the final crates of supplies were dutifully being loaded on board by the portmen of Nasrad, Lawrence quietly dozed, his right boot propped against the rudder, the creak of the chain heard every now and then as his foot shifted. He absently traced his fingers along the sword at his side, watching, though closed eyes, that which went on around him.
Dusk in Nasrad was especially nice – the temperatures become bearable and the marina lights up with activity, the trade market using this critical time to deliver goods. The various wanders and adventurers often came to watch the setting sun through the rocky reefs. Lawrence took no interest, his back turned to the display. Of course, by now, thick sea rifts obscured the burning pinks and oranges that ignited the horizon, and once the sun sank beyond the Dark Rift, it would officially be night under the Red Moon.
Aboard the Brobdingnagian steel-plated bird, Marco was delegating the continuing string of boxes and barrels, having decided to stay with Vyse under the promise of more excitement. Of course, it wasn't that Vyse made the promise, it was just that Marco had never seen such activity on his own, and there was something to be said about the food and home he received in exchange for hard, though enthralling work. He vowed to one day return to Valua, but for now, his young heart was happily set on telling people where to put this and that.
Back outside, Lawrence shifted in his rest, thinking about the job he'd taken on. Initially, he had his heart set on leaving Vyse and his strange crew behind to return to that which he did best. However, he admittedly missed the company and despite his ability to brush off any type of third-degree, had returned to the Blue Rogues fully willing to obey captain's orders. Lacking a helmsman, Vyse happily agreed, though it wasn't unknown that there was something taxing about their relationship.
It wasn't even that Vyse didn't like him; Lawrence was a fantastic helmsman and a better swordsman. On the rare occasion that Vyse could elicit a response from the quiet brooder, Lawrence was all to willing to prove that he was a worthy sparring partner. Vyse had a scar on his arm to prove it. As good a pirate as he was, there was an almost definite (if unspoken) knowledge that Lawrence was not truly a Blue Rogue.
His eye popped open, the faint sound of a hitherto unheard rustling drawing his attention, his acute senses blocking out the loud chatter of the Nasrian workers still loading the last of five or six huge crates. He sat up slowly, tipping his head to the side while his grip tightened around a faithful sword.
A faint click made him inhale sharply, knowingly; he leapt onto the deck with his blade drawn, ready to bark orders. Before he could take two steps, a crate of gunpowder being loaded into a ship three docks down ignited and exploded, sending Lawrence sprawling to the side as a hot wind rushed over him. Marco, in a panic, ran to the bridge of the Delphinus to watch, horrified, as the small merchant vessel was consumed by angry, orange flames. Rich, black smoke poured like blood into the night air, clogging throats and watering eyes. The workers loading a crate of cannonballs onto the freight deck for the Delphinus immediately scrambled, running to retrieve buckets of useless sand as the burning ship sank from the port. Lawrence climbed to his feet, aching, watching as the blaze spread from unloaded crate to unloaded crate. The unfortunate merchant vessel was already gone, but its fiery legacy was quickly taking over about a third of the marina.
As it crawled toward the gunner platform, a panic erupted from the city. Red and yellow bursts of light danced across the walls and undulated over the surfaces of nearby objects, stretching long, wavering shadows across the ground. Those trying desperately to put out the flames were nothing but black smudged against the awesomely bright light, the heat of the fire making them shimmer like a sickening mirage. A few more small barrels of powder went up with quick booms, echoing around the marina like gunfire. Lawrence watched helplessly as a poor Nasrian worker tried desperately to extinguish the flames that had alit on his back before someone dived on him with a blanket.
Struck from his daze, Lawrence tossed his sword back into the lifeboat, shedding his jacket before he ran for the conflagration that was threatening to ignite the entire ammunitions load for Nasrad's main cannons. He began to shout orders to anyone that would listen, telling them to retreat as he performed weak wind spells on the smaller fires that began branching away.
"Wevli!" he cried again, snuffing a string of flames that was seconds from detonating a case of Pyril cannon ammunition that would have surely been the end of anything in an eighty-meter radius. Other would-be sorcerers began to get the idea, casting ice spells typically used to keep their water cold to hamper the spreading inferno. Lawrence was panting, constant wind spells merely denting the blaze that was now scorching the tall walls and burning the very earth on which they stood. The continuous casting was taking up much of his energy and soon, he could cast no more, drained. He fell to his knees in the center of the arena, the entire left side of the port reduced to a bonfire. Marco ran up behind him, unable to cast any magic at all, to watch as the flames finally found the boxes containing Nasrad's heavy artillery.
"Wevlen!" a deep voice bellowed, a hurricane-force coming across the land. Lawrence ducked as a monsoon-like spray of wind and water came over him, thinking to pull Marco to the ground as well lest he be flung from the port and into the open air. The deadly swirl of blue magic knocked fleeing people to their stomachs and overturned that which was not on fire, but the swelling heat was instantly quelled, the lapping flames retreating to nothing but smoking embers; cold, wet and no longer lighting up the night sky with flickering hues of yellow and orange. The howling winds died down as suddenly as they'd struck as Lawrence cautiously rose up, dripping with chilly water. He let go of Marco's back, the trembling boy still huddled next to him. Not even a suggestion of flames remained, save for the white smoke that whispered away from what once burned and into the miasma of the sky.
Footfalls scrapped the ground as a figured emerged from the newly formed shadows, a gleaming arm hardly unnoticed by Lawrence's eyes. The heavy sailor walked up to him, looking up and down with a scowl on his eye-patched face. "You boy," he growled, "where's Vyse?"
"Drachma," Lawrence muttered, whipping his wet hair from his face. "What are you doing here?" The salty sailor spat to the side, ignoring the question.
"I see the Delphinus, I figured Vyse were here. I've got news to share with the boy and it's nothing to shrug at." He nodded to what was once an unspeakable, hungry disaster. "And that wasn't much of a spirit-lifter, either, so don't feed me any lines. Where is he?"
Lawrence scowled a little, instead turning his attention to a bedazzled Nasrian boy in a dirty tunic, who was standing among the workers loading their crates. "You there!" he boomed imposingly. "Get on board and check every single crate. I do not want a repeat of this." The young sailor nodded and with an "aye aye," he hopped on the freight loader and climbed toward the mighty ship, a small haversack hanging from his arm. Satisfied with his authority, Lawrence turned back to Drachma, greeted charmingly with a metal claw closing around his neck.
"Don't cross me, boy," he murmured, a dark shadow across his face, his eye somehow gleaming with spite. "I'll kill yea' now, Lawrence, because I am not happy. Where. Is. Vyse." He released the helmsman, who took a slow breath through his freed windpipe. He didn't budge, however, surprising the old man by not simply keeling over and gasping for air. He had to admit: the mercenary was tough.
"He'll arrive shortly," he replied coolly, unfazed even by the steely grip of Drachma. "Come aboard," he muttered, reaching down the grab a still cowering Marco by the scruff of the neck. He set the boy on his feet before turning to the remaining gawking workers, one of whom had perished in the flames. "Load up this ship, now!" he commanded, causing them to scuttle even as the dead and wounded were hurried back into the city. "And check those fucking crates." He returned to the lifeboat with Drachma and Marco in tow, eyes narrowed against the starlight.
He knew that no accident had just occurred and that lurking shadows were present in Nasrad. Silently, his jacket on and his sword by his side, he started up the dinghy and the three ascended to the Delphinus to await her captain's arrival.
To be Continued
