It only took them half the time to traverse Rixis than it originally had; with the nimble and intelligent Domingo leading them, the three adventurers battled their way back to the gates of the Lost City in only a day and a half. They had discussed and eventually decided on a course of action during that time; upon returning to the Ironclad they would return to Horteka, replenish their supplies, and ask the locals of the whereabouts of the Crystal. Though leaving Lawrence and continuing on without him had affected them all in some way, they had high hopes for success - until they left the safety of Rixis behind.
Domingo emerged first and knew instantly that they had made a grave mistake; Centime's ship was aloft and surrounded by a handful of distinctly Valuan battle cruisers, and facing them was a rather unorthodox flagship, a score of armed soldiers, and a man that Ilchymis recognized at once.
"Admiral De Loco," the mage muttered to his companions, and stepping forward he dipped a bow and spread his hands in obeisance. "My greetings, De Loco. To what do we owe the honor?"
The tiny admiral giggled with deranged glee, clapping his hands and dancing from foot to foot excitedly, "You can't get away this time, Ilchymis! Belleza had enough respect to let you walk away from Pyrynn alive, but I am not so generous, no, I'm not! I'm taking all of you back to Valua - and when we get there you'll die! You hear me?! Die... DIE... DIE!!!"
Gritting his teeth together, Domingo drew out his wickedly-curved kukris and advanced a few steps. "We've come too far to be stopped now, De Loco, and we've got a long way to go, so if you won't stand aside... I have no choice but to make you."
"Domingo, don't!" cried Ilchymis, but it was too late; the treasure hunter charged forward into the cluster of soldiers determinedly, and Ilchymis and Centime could only watch, horrified, as a single blow to the back of the neck dropped Domingo to the ground.
"Now come along," simpered De Loco, and Centime and Ilchymis had no choice but to allow themselves to be bound and led aboard De Loco's flagship, the Chameleon.
Looking around the cramped bridge of the flagship, Centime couldn't see how they could possibly escape the situation they had landed themselves in. Unconscious from the crippling strike, Domingo had been tightly bound and thrown in the cargo area, and now he and Ilchymis were standing behind De Loco's vice captain, forced to witness the Fifth Fleet of the Armada while it burned the lush forests of Ixa'taka to the ground. Eventually the malevolent admiral turned from his gloating and moved to face Ilchymis, far more serious than before. "Now tell me, Ilchymis... where is the Green Moon Crystal?"
The mage thought it prudent not to lie. "We had thought it to be in the Lost City of Rixis, but we were wrong. It almost appears as though it was never there at all, or someone already plundered it. Regardless, we do not have it."
De Loco watched Ilchymis for a long time, searching his face for any sign that he was not being truthful, then he smiled to himself. "Do you know what I think? I think you are a filthy little liar, yes, I do. But don't worry... If I can't break you, I'm sure Lord Galcian can..."
The malevolent little admiral signaled to a pair of guards standing silently near the doorway, and they escorted the unresisting mage away.
"Admiral De Loco," began Centime, as soon as the door had snapped shut, "where is my son Hans?"
"Ah... yes, of course, your son." De Loco turned his back on the engineer, snickering as he watched his fleet decimate the forests with flame. "I shipped him off to Valua to do the job you refused to do."
"He would never aid Valua in its quest to rule the world with fear," Centime growled. "I raised him better than that."
De Loco again flashed him that sickening, simpering grin. "Then he will die. I daresay Lord Galcian will see to that." Then, to the soldiers who had just re-entered, he ordered, "Get him out of my sight."
Centime had no choice but to allow himself to be dragged away.