The Ashes of Andronde [Full]

[FrostFire]

	The Ashes of Andronde 23rd Darkening of Immanis in the Season of Winter The streets of Imperia lay abuzz within the upper districts the city that were bathed in a crisp ocean breeze that uttered in the soft tidings of the approaching winter. Yet the city became far more somber as one descended down into the hushed streets of the Diabolus Plaga. The most prevalent sound was that of the waves, sweeping gently upon the sandy shores with the subdued hum of an audience held in the grasp of the artist’s performance. Every now and again figures wrapped in thick woolly coats that were crusted with a layer of salt and sand passed through the cobbled streets, their footsteps offering a muted patter in the background. Within the heart of the Diabolus Plaga resided The Crow’s Nest, the local black-market that silently rivaled the Plaza of Angels in items of rarity and extraordinary nature. Stalls were adorned with the trademark black canvas coverings that gave the market its name. The obsidian material fluttered about the array of stalls and tents, shielding the stall keepers from the bitter embrace of the sea air. Blanketing the display tables were items and trinkets that seemed foreign to the eyes of the local Imperians. Painted bits of glass with strange designs that enchanted the eyes, urns with depictions of seaside legends, like the kraken or the fabled sirens. It was at one stall in particular that an elderly katta female with the visage something resembling a desert panther. But her hair was mottled from the damp sea air and she herself was wrapped heavily in an assortment of weather worn rags that covered all but her protruding face. Before her rested an assortment of exotic trinkets, many appearing to have originated from the desert, though a variety of shell jewelry was scattered on display. But the most prominent of her items was a strange narrow urn that was a deep sea green hue that flirted dangerously with an onyx coloration. Upon the surface, painted in a waxy ivory pigment was the imagery of gently sweeping waves with small pinpoints of starlight hanging above. Amid the painted waves stood a visage of rock jutting from the pigment wrought sea. And atop this rise of stone, crouched a maiden. Her feet bare and clutching like a gull upon the rocks, her hands clenched and gripping at the jagged surface she was set upon like the talons of some predatory bird. Long tresses of hair, limp from the salty spray of the waves hung about her body, itself which was clad in what appeared to be tangled knots of seaweed. And her face was as fair as one could ever come to imagine, her comely features were arranged in such a manner that invited one in, enchanted by her lovely visage. Yet the rest of her body suggested a far darker intent, one that did not hint at a happy ending tinged with wine and roses. As people meandered by her stall the katta would offer hushed words advertising her wares. “Lovelies of the desert and sea, and the Ashes of Andronde, Sea Witch of the West, yours for only ten gold crowns.” She proffered with a toothy grin. “Never will danger befall you at sea with this relic in hand. No squall will turn your sails away from home; no tempest will cross your path!” It was then that the whisper of the seaside wind suddenly offered a sudden gust in reply, great hollow voice carried upon that racing zephyr. A single pure note echoed along the wind as the stall coverings began to flutter furiously; a mournful call into the fading dusk. All within the market came to a halt for a brief moment, before the sound abruptly fell and faded just as quickly as it had come, the wind dying away with it. Most would shrug this happening off as nothing more than a whistle produced by the approaching storm clouds in the distance, but others would be gripped by this strange spectral wail and wonder…what watched them from beyond those crashing waves....

[Dante Asunder]

Dante had come to Imperia looking for resolution. He had been branded by a succubus and was here hunting her, trying to end her corrupting influence, but as he made his way through seemingly the seediest part of town he heard a strange cry on the wind. He spent a great deal of time on the sea and had yet to hear such a thing. Having sailed out of Demios on countless occasions he was familiar with the sounds the sea makes before a storm, this was something else.

He turned and looked out towards the sea. He saw the storm clouds that seemed to be approaching and his gaze narrowed, trying to pick out anything of the ordinary. Did the strange noise have anything to do with why he was here or was this something different altogether. He usually wasn't the type to think that the world revolved around himself, but he knew his enemy and she was tricky. Who knew what she would do to get the upperhand?

Dante was so engrossed in his observing that at first he didn't hear the Katta quietly peddling her wares. When he finally took notice he started eyeing the merchandise she had available. It was more courtesy than anything, the only souvenir he wanted from this trip was Nera's head, but perhaps the kids, Hatorania, or even Kala would want something. The vase did indeed catch his eye. The devious nature of the woman with the entrancing eyes reminded him of his target, in point of fact. So much so that he suddenly became suspicious of the peddler.

Under the guise of admiring the item Dante slipped into clara. He meditated by forcing away his senses then blinking which was like a switch that allowed him to see the ara about him. It usually took him about twenty seconds since his last promotion, but amid distraction that time was increased. Either way he meditated until he could see ara then took a look at the Peddler and her wares. While still in clara he asked the peddler, "Where did you come across such a fine item?" He indicated the vase.

[Aurelius Lucretia]

Aurelius had always enjoyed a good walk through Imperia. He lived in this area and knew its dangerous well. So he didn't have any fears as he walked through the blackmarket of Imperia.

His strong movements carried him through the crowd. He paused at the Katta's booth as she advertised about the charms. He was fairly sure they weren't real, but it was always interesting to see stuff like that.

The handsome young man turned his face towards the screaching in the wind. Aurelius had lived in the harbor town for many eras and had never heard a sound like. His green eyes hardened, wondering what was going on here in Imperia. He had already heard rumors of golden haired children wandering Arakmat, and wondered if something else bad was about to hit Imperia.

He still wasn't easy when the sound stopped and he heard a dracon asking about the sailing artifacts. He turned his angular and ruggad face back.

[Vaishen Vadei]

Vaishen's day had brought him to the Diabolus Plaga, Imperia's infamous den of trade and treachery, a place where anything and everything could be bought -- including peoples' lives and freedoms. Its streets were as familiar to Vaishen as the Mare Navale, for they shared something in common: a man with talents, an indiscriminate nature, and a reputation for silence could find work to do. The wound on Vaishen's abdomen, freshly scarring, made both his flesh and his purse itch. He had been "jobless" since the injury, and his supply of coin had been vanishing away crown after glittering crown.

Earning some quick coin wasn't always a matter of stealing or robbing, as a rascal or a land pirate might tell you, but in doing some honest work. Many merchants and ships could use the passing help of a strong arm to lift, move, or pack heavy objects. Vaishen would earn money honestly, with the sweat of his brow, just as eagerly as he would dishonestly.

Unfortunately, the day's efforts had yielded him almost no return. Vaishen had given up for the day, his feet bearing him back towards the Mare Navale to hit up his usual spots there.

"... no tempest will cross your path!" The fragment of a hawker's sale pitch was snagged out of the drone of the crowd by Vaishen's ears, like a fisherman plucking a single fish from the open sea. At first it was a meaningless scrap of conversation, but within moments the strange wind came in.

It blew through the Diabolus Plaga with the angry swell of a hurricane, mournful cries filling Vaishen's ears and dredging up memories of every sailor's superstitious tale he had heard over the years. It was a very pointed reply to the hawker's claim, as if the gods themselves had taken offense. Vaishen knew the Diabolus Plaga well enough to know it was wrong, but it left as quickly as it came, lasting just long enough to raise the hairs on Vaishen's neck in primal response to some perceived and unknown danger.

"Where did you come across such a fine item?" Another fragment of conversation from the hawker's stand. Others were beginning to gather around the katta, and Vaishen found his own curiosity roused to a level which he could not ignore. Slowly he crept up on the stall, his eyes drawn to the urn as much as they watched the others gathering around.

[Alessa Starncell]

Imperia, such a lovely city for the child. It was dark and had such different people around, shady crooks and merciless killers...her kind of people. Then again, she had to kill a few because they believed she was nothing more then just a little girl who had lost her way...big mistake on their parts. Then again, she wasn't always on her lonesome anymore, instead she had Phineus there with her, her knight in scaley armor. His 'knighthood' wasn't exactly voluntary of course, he had lost to the small child and had decided to join because she had spared his life. There was no doubt that should he feel at one point that he was stronger then her then he would seek to kill her, once the scales tipped in his favor. Alessa simply had to see to it that this never occured.

Winter had touched upon the dark city, coating white against black every so often, especially in the Diablous Plaga, where the snow and dirt mixed to creature disgusting slush. There was no way that Alessa was going to get her precious little shoes wet from such filth, which was exactly why she chose to ride on Phineus' shoulders rather then walking at his side. He wasn't definitely not a comfortable ride, but she made due with what she had for the time being. Her little skinny legs wrapped around his neck every so often when a breeze blew past, causing her little white hood to her cloak to blow back. It was very cold and Alessa didn't like the cold, she enjoyed winter for it was a season of death to all things green and pretty, but she could do without the cold. Golden curls framed her adorable little pale face, bright blue eyes gazed around the Plaga, curious as to what was going. She had heard talk of The Crow's Nest, a black market with good deals for dark items.

Alessa closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath of the lovely sea air, always smelled so good even if it came with a chill that caused her nose to turn red, along with her cheeks. Biting her lip, she tugged at Phineus' hair and pointed him onwards, such a view definitely gave her an advantage over others. She didn't know why Phineus didn't just stay in his dracon form, she didn't like this seeming though it was easier on the bottom for riding. Hearing the sounds of various people trying to hawk off their goods was rather amusing, it was a scene she wasn't used to being around really. For a moment the child was tempted to get down from Phin's shoulders and see for herself some of the items that were being sold, but that required energy that she just didn't have, so Phin would have to do for now.

One might wonder why someone would bring a child to such a place where dark intent was commonplace, the answer of course was that Phin most likely didn't care. He wasn't exactly known for his thinking patterns nor his huge heart, though this was simply Alessa's observation of the dracon. She liked him and really, being liked by Alessa Starncell was hardly ever a really 'good' thing. Sometimes death was a less painful option really.

Biting her little lip, Alessa tugged again on Phin's hair until he did as she said, gesturing towards the gathering group around an old sea-weathered katta with a beautiful urn. Alessa only heard so much about it and she was already hopping up and down on Phin's shoulders, caring nothing for his possible discomfort. "Phin! I want it! Buy it for me now!" She beat her little fist on his head and pointed, as though Phin was too stupid to know what she was talking about. "I want it now! Now now now now!" She whined before calling out to the Katta. "I want it!" No one else had better try and buy it...

[Phineus]

Phineus sighed, and with good reason. His mistress was perched on his broad shoulders still, despite the fact that she was perfectly capable of walking on her own two feet. Sometimes he could not tell if it was because she was lazy, did it because she was aware that she could without complaint on his half, or did it purely out of spite for his spine. Truthfully, he could see it being a sadistic blend of all three considering who he was thinking about. He longed for the day he was confident he could best her without getting his face melted off for the effort.

The day was as cold as ever, he'd barely had a chance to warm himself up again over the last few months before this second wave had come, and with it even more white muck. His boots, well made but also well worn, were caked in slush and water, and more than once had he found himself with wet feet inside as he'd journeyed to the northern city. The streets of Imperia were at least a blessing in that regard, any snow that had fallen here had got shoved into murky brown piles to either side from all the traffic moving through this market area. Why they were even in this district, Phin didn't much care, he was out of trouble and in a rather pleasant mood despite the golden haired child riding him, so he couldn't complain too much. Of course he would much prefer to be in a tavern, getting drunk and rearranging the features of some unfortunate, but that usually lead to guardsmen.

Nothing so far caught his interest as he walked along, most of the trinkets on offer were junk to him, and apparently to Alessa too, who hadn't yet told him to stop and move to one stall or the other. Either that or she couldn't be bothered to get down and risk damaging the silly things on her feet she called shoes. Air would keep the dirt out better. One particularly annoying harper was determined to have Phin buy a particularly revolting necklace of what he claimed was amber from the far flung corners of the Kingdom, but looked more like badly stained glass beads. Phineus gave him a dark glare from underneath a heavy brow, enough to deter the peddler and try it on somebody else.

There was a sudden gust of wind, and Phin choked a little as Alessa unexpectedly tightened her legs around his neck to stay on. There was a strange note on the air, probably just the wind judging by most people's reactions, sounds like that must blow over from the coast all the time. But still, Phineus could not help but wonder...

For the briefest of moments at least, Alessa was tugging furiously at his hair, using the messy strands like the reigns on a horse. He grumbled and turned to see a crowd forming around a Katta flogging off some gaudy pot that supposedly had the ashes of some wet bint with a penchant for magic. There was a Dracon amongst them too, though this barely caused Phin to bat an eyelid, he had very little care or interest in his own race, especially when in his human shape, What interest he, and indeed the rest of the customers, could possibly see in a lump of clay that was probably full of the contents of last nights fireplace escaped him. Unfortunately, his little lady had already taken a full interest in the object and was demanding he buy it.

He muscled into the crowd easily, his formidable size enough persuasion for most people, and his brutish and uncaring demeanour enough for everybody else. "Why the heck do ya even want it miss? It's only a pretty piece of junk." He grumbled at her, almost oblivious of the Katta's presence and without a care for if he made offence. Probably because he felt a pang of jealousy for not coming up with such a clever con himself.

[FrostFire]

The damp sea air twined about those that loitered within the veiled shadows of the market. Like ragged fingers tossing about their clothes, grasping desperately for some hold on their weaknesses. As people began to gather about the katta, interest splayed about their faces a faintly pained expression crossed the old hawkers face. Still this expression was soon replaced with a hungering smile as a flicker of shadow crossed over her golden feline eyes.
“Yes my darlings.” She cooed, her eyes languidly sliding over those sidling closer to her stall. Long digits with claws adorning her fingertips came too slid about the slender urn to lift it up for the crowd to see. “Given to me by the grace of the sea, a lost treasure that has now found a new home…” She breathed as an undiluted expression crossed her visage, utterly sinister in nature, as though hellfire dwelt within her very eyes.

The wind twining about the crowd then began to intensify into something that could be described the breath of an approaching sea tempest. The wind tore at hair and clothes, kicking up a cloud of dust and sand that saturated the market. Screams suddenly broke out as the Katta woman reached forth with a jagged hand to slide her fingertips underneath the seal of the urn, ripping away at the wax that had been used to ensure that the vessel could not be easily opened. Before anyone could do anything to stop the katta the wax sealing the urn broke free, the ceramic cap of the urn marked with a depiction of the night sky gleaming with stars fell swiftly to the ground and shattered into hundreds of shards with a resounding crack that seemed to herald what transpired next.

A look of relief spilled over the katta’s face as her body went limp, her legs buckling beneath her as a thick black smoke suddenly began to pour from her mouth that lay agape. As her body collapsed to the ground behind the stall the obsidian fog began to pour into the open urn as though it was drawn by some unseen wind forth into the vessel. Screams and shouts rocketed about the market as people bolted from the stalls, the merchants following suit, leaving their items out in the open to be the pickings of street thieves later.

The onyx fog had completely left the katta merchant who now lay wheezing upon the dirty stone of the street, a confused look flickering over her face as she looked about, unable to discern exactly where she was, or even why she had wandered into the most dangerous area of the city. She could only watch in horrid as that accursed obsidian smoke dove completely into the urn, obscured from view.

It was then that it began, a voice emanating from the ancient relic, singing gently like the constant lapping of the waves. A song so sweet and seductive it weakened the knees of all that stood in the area, the air becoming heady with the scent of salt and a warm comforting ocean breeze. All of those that had come near the stall would begin to feel the need to slumber, the constant comfort of that beautiful voice filling their minds with a need to sleep that was far more potent than any drug. It was utterly intoxicating, and it would only serve to please the singer if they did as it asked. So the inexorable pull to simply let go of the waking world would inch into ever part of their being until all left within the market collapsed allowing the darkness to overtake them….

_________________________________


It would only been when all was silent that the singing would cease, the urn growing silent as a soft gray fog began to rise over its edges to fall to the cobbled streets below, slowly amassing into the figure of what appeared to be a woman. The misty silhouette would soon begin to grow in density until pale flesh garbed in dark sea green robes adorned with rubies came into being. Ivory hair spilled over her shoulders in a frothy cascade about sharply pointed ears that led down to pallid rosey lips. Her eyes were the most striking of all her features, utter pits of darkness, as dark as the black seaside rock upon the shores of Imperia. Her lips flexed into a faint smile as she then moved, bare damp feet that dripped with briny water stepped past the unconscious bodies of the dracon with his golden haired cargo. The woman knelt down, her dark eyes examining the pair carefully before a single white hand reached out to press two digits against Alessa’s neck. Where her damp fingers contacted the side of the child’s neck there was a faint tendril of dark smoke that hissed from beneath her skin. Withdrawing the pale woman examined the girl with an amused expression as a dark tint began to grow where she had touched the little girl until it grew into a dark onyx hue that stretched and moved about until it formed the recognizable image in the form of a small tattoo. The figure of a Naga had manifested itself, a human figure that was half serpent, the great shape shifter of the sea...

The pale woman continued this with the rest of those lying unconscious within the market, never uttering a sound as she completed her work.


Dante was marked upon the neck by the small image of a female figure with a long sinuous fish tail that twirled about a body that had been clothed only by a drapery of kelp.

Aurelius had been marked with the image of a leviathan, the snake like body of the infamous sea dragon which reared its head back to spout off a jet of flame.

Vaishen was marked upon the neck with the imagery of a great beast surrounded by tentacles…a kraken.

Phineus had been marked with the tattoo of a sea turtle, its shell decorated with the imagery of what appeared to be a tree.

Completed with her work, the woman came to stand before the collapsed individuals, a haunting smirk crossing her features. It was time to find a new host that would last her another mortal lifetime…Only the strongest could defeat her trials, and those that did would find a far darker fate left to greet them when they awoke to the cold embrace of Andronde....



______________________________

Dante

When the dracon came to wake he would find himself soaked to the skin in briny sea water, the salt leaving an acrid tang in his mouth. He would be situated upon a small black pile of rock that just barely peaked over the surface of the gray sea. Waves gently lapped at the sides of his miniature island, a chill wind biting at his flesh that howled all about him, the faint sound of distant singing being carried upon it. There was no shore in sight, only an endless horizon that stretched for endless miles into the muted skyline. It appeared to be near the ending candlemarks of dusk as the sky was a grayish hue tinged with orange. The air was only dropping in temperature as the darkening descended, and he was all alone without any sign of aid.

It would be only moments later that a soft splash would be heard only a few stretches from the rock he was seated upon, if he managed to spin around and look in time, he would see the flicker of a large fishtail dipping back below the water’s surface.

_________________________

Aurelius

When Aurelius woke he would find himself utterly alone, a damp sandy beach beneath him as the dusk tide was rolling back in. The froth of the waves would slosh against his legs as a crab scuttled past his range of vision into a small hole in the sand.
The sky itself was strangely vibrant, a sharp blood red hue that was illuminated by a harsh orange glow that was hidden behind the clouds. In the distance, behind the roar of the incoming tide a dark serrated fin easily the size of a man would rise above the water before fading back down into the depths.
Behind Aurelius would be a small stand of what must have once been palm trees, but now they stood as mere cinders still glowing faintly from some recent fire. The land continued only a short distance further until the other side of the small deserted island was reached where only more burnt foliage was found.

________________________

Vaishen

The creak of wood and splintered boards would whisper about Vaishen as he came into the waking world once again. A great plaintive crack resounded from below him as his eyes would catch the sight of a darkening sky that strangely held no starlight. About him the flicker of firelight would ripple just outside the range of his vision. It would only be when he came to stand that he would realize exactly where he was.
A great galleon ship lay about him, splintered and rent into nearly half for the sea flowed through the center of the dilapidated vessel. Parts of the deck were still on fire and burning brightly within the darkness. Thankfully the fires seemed to have no intent in quickly consuming the ship in their fury, or in being extinguished as they were the only source of light for Vaishen to be guided by.
Outside the shattered deck of the trade galleon the shaded waters of the darkening flickered with firelight. No shore could be sighted within miles of the wounded ship, and with it effectively broken in half there was no sailing away. Actually it was even a wonder that it was still afloat. It would only be a few minutes after waking that the young man would hear a sharp splash off to the east of the upturned bow. If he glanced over the splintered railing he might catch the sight of a single tentacle sliding back beneath the surface of the ocean.

_______________________

Alessa

When Alessa was allowed to return to the realm of the wakeful she would find her clothes damp with briny water and caked with a spattering of black sand. She was situated on a small island that was covered by a small thorny forest of thick brush and seaside trees. Easily she would be able to see the end of the island to her sides as the dark sandy beach curved around to the opposing side. A brittle howl of wind would tear at her clothes only briefly before a dark silhouette set against the dying rays of the suns was seen at the western end of the beach…a familiar figure to the little girl…one that she would never forget.

Xeno……

The wind would begin to toss about the brush forest before the figure of her long dead father suddenly disintegrated into a pile of the blackened sand. A hollow cackle suddenly stuck out from the surrounding waves, all to amused at the child’s predicament. This was to be most entertaining....


__________________________

Phineus

When the dracon came to wake, the demanding little girl would no longer be found seated squarely upon his shoulders. Instead he would find himself lying flat upon his back with the daunting shadows of a dense forest surrounding him. The sky above was a mottled blue cloaked by a thick layer of fog that continually moved and swayed upon the air currents above. About Phineus the constant sound of waves leaked through the thick layer woodland foliage. Beyond the thick forest resided a dusky beach covered in pebbles and large chunks of volcanic stone.
A soft wind whispered through the trees causing the leaves to chortle back and forth as they clapped together, allowing gentle rays of dappled light down to the forest floor.

It would not be until Phineus investigated the nearby beach that he would come to notice a most interesting fact. The sea itself was rippling about the beach, only allowing the faintest of waves to slosh against the island. Everything around him suggested that he was indeed standing upon land, but from the way that the water was moving about the beach….it appeared that the island itself was moving…

[Vaishen Vadei]

“Given to me by the grace of the sea, a lost treasure that has now found a new home…” There was no mistaking the sinister tones marking the katta's words, and then the winds--tinged with every bit of malevolent sorcery imaginable as far as Vaishen was concerned--came before he could hope to react. His instinct told him to either kill the katta or run away, but it was too late. The witch had drawn him in, a siren's call to an unsuspecting ship, and the winds quickly buffeted him. His tattered clothes flapped in the maelstrom, his hands clinging to his shield and baldric to keep them from being ripped away. He hunkered down against the wind, all his strength being used just to remain standing, stinging shards of sand and dirt tearing at his eyes and nose. He was paralyzed, blind and suffocating. Such hateful magic was the greatest treachery, and in what felt like his final moments alive Vaishen admonished himself for falling into the trap.

The sound of the ceramic cap shattering pierced the roaring of the wind and storm and rang clearly in Vaishen's ears, a moment of such strangeness that Vaishen lost track of his predicament and forced his stinging eyes to look at the katta merchant. Horror filled him at the sight of the onyx fog creeping out from her mouth. His lips moved, a prayer to the gods that was lost in the air's fury, and a sickening feeling of dread wedged itself into his stomach like a poorly cooked meal, threatening to make him retch at any moment. The smokey, incorporeal thing slid away into the opened urn, the horrid sight driving Vaishen to double his efforts. He struggled hard against the wind, making progress -- step by step, panic and despair driving him to flee away before the sinister presence could bring harm to him. No desire was stronger than his desire to be away from there, far far away--

And then everything was fine.

The song was like memories of a calm, waking morning on a boat, the swell softly breaking against the prow, a gentle sound that deepened the sleep and made getting out of the hammock a laborious process. Vaishen no longer felt the buffeting winds or the tearing sands, just luxurious ocean breezes and the clean scent of good sea water. It brought him back to those days on the sea, away from Imperia, sleeping sound and waking to the majesty of the ocean -- to the waking fantasies of a world wide open with possibilities enjoyed before a day of work began. He closed his eyes, mind lost in that missed feeling of paradise. His muscles relaxed, his body slipping into the same drowse.

Something told him to fight it -- the siren's call, the witch's spell -- but he was too far gone. The dirty street of the Diabolus Plaga was as luxurious as a king's bed, and Vaishen curled up in it with a contented sigh. He had slept so poorly lately -- so very, very poorly -- in that windowless apartment with the musty straw bed and lichen covered walls. Warnings of witchcraft be damned -- he deserved a true rest for once. Sleep came quickly and easily, a beautiful slumber...

* * * * *

The creaking wood was, at first, a lovely sound to his ears, a reminder of his sudden nostalgia for the sea. Vaishen was half awake, a smile twisting his face into a visage of contentment. The splintering sounds are what started to dispel his complacency, and then the deep, unmistakable crack from below. Any man who had served aboard a ship knew the sound -- one of the worst kinds of sounds imaginable -- and instantly his eyes snapped open, his body jolting into an upright sitting position. His mind twisted in weird ways as it fought to get a tangible grip on the reality of what he saw -- the starless sky, the firelight -- it was all wrong. He had just been in Imperia, in the Diabolus Plaga, he knew that for a fact. His brain engaged in a futile battle to explain what had happened to him, having temporarily even forgotten about the witchcraft from just moments before.

Vaishen scrambled to his feet, and the true gravity of his situation struck him full on like an errant boom. The galleon was a ship that, under normal circumstances, any sailor would have given anything to serve on, with its multiple decks and several towering, beautifully rigged masts. This was hardly an ordinary circumstance, with the lovely ship broken down to the keel and taking on water. The deck fires were slow moving, a small boon for Vaishen, but she was taking on water fast, her minutes -- if that -- were numbered. He couldn't even comprehend how she still remained above the surface of the water, but he was rarely the type of person to shun a miracle in his favor.

He did not know how long he had been awake, but it had only felt like moments before he heard the splash. He raced to the forecastle railing and peered over into the darkness. A chill, passing through his flesh and sinking straight down to his bones, came upon him at what he saw: the single tentacle. It vanished almost instantly, but Vaishen already knew what it was by reputation if not sight alone: a kraken. The scourge of all sailors, the terrible killer of seagoing man and destroyer of even the finest ships of the line. A moment of shock passed, and Vaishen took a deep, sucking breath to calm the tremor that surged through him.

He released a deep exhale, and in its place came a deep resolve: I will survive. His nerves calmed and, with no further hesitation, he turned away from the railing. Green eyes surveyed the boat, looking for anything that could be of use to him...

[Dante Asunder]

It was one of those times when something occurs in life that you can only witness occur. Try as you might to keep the event from happening everything slows to the point where it feels like one is forcing their way through water or even a thick syrup.

The katta hadn't responded to Dante with words, but apparently the item had become quite popular. Several people had coalesced around the vase which caused a strange behavior change in the katta. With that Dante received a shot of fear. The kind of fear that one feels when something terrible is coming and they know it, but can't do anything about it. With what seemed to be agonizing slowness the katta removed the wax sealed lid of the vase and dropped it upon the ground, destroying it and any immediate hope of stopping whatever was going into or coming out of the vessel.

The dracon immediately tried to go into clara, knowing full well it would be futile. As the singing began he felt the wave of sleepiness crash over him like a giant wave from the sea. Fight as he would it mattered not at all and after an unknown amount of time he awakened, marooned on a small rock in the middle of the sea.

He tried to clear his maw of the sea water taste, by smacking his lips. "Well this is just great..." Dante mused internally. He stood and scanned the horizon turning 360 degrees on his new home, "Nothing," he thought with irritation. "What happened? Where am I?" the dracon wondered idly.

As the temperature started to drop the dracon rolled his eyes, "Great." He knelt down, resisting the pain in the knees caused by the rocks. "Wonderful Diana thank you for seeing fit to keep me alive. Please help me that I might find a way to return to my home and family. Please guide me with thy light and keep me safe from harm and evil. In thy name and by thy will. Amen."

Once his prayer was over he sat cross legged on his little patch of earth and started to go into clara. He forced away his senses, lastly blinking to see the ara that made up the world. If he reached this point he would take a quick glance about, just to take a measure of where he was at before trying to access his vis and cast a spell.

Once the area was checked out in clara Dante focused on his vis until arcalysis occurred taking his consciousness to the astral. He then channeled a third of his vis to the plane of life and combined it with the essence there. He then channeled the combination back into himself. With the mana he caste the spell endure elements focusing on the cold to help him withstand the exposure. "That should give me a little time," Dante thought to himself.

He was still curious as to what the possible motivation for abandoning him here on this island. The only thing he could think of was a bloodless death. They didn't have to be around to watch him waste away to nothing, this still left the question of why? He remembered the scream on the wind... and the Katta! She had released something or added something to the jar. "She did something, but what?" the dracon tried to deduce.

That's when he noticed the burning on his neck. The water wasn't calm enough and it was too dark to see it properly in a reflection, but perhaps with a dagger. Of course he would still need light, but he felt he should save his mana for emergencies. He kept his wings and tail tucked close to his body to conserve what warmth he could as night fell. He sat cross legged allowing himself to meditate upon his situation, considering his options. He didn't really see any options, but to wait for now. Perhaps a ship would come by, or something else helpful. Markalin was a God of Aetheria, perhaps the goddess would see fit to ask him to interject on Dante's behalf. That's when he heard the splash behind him, just in time to see the large fish tail. That could have been good or bad. If it was just a fish, albeit a large one Dante at least might have access to some food. If it was something else he could be dead soon.

With a sigh and a small hint of nervousness he stood back up and prepared himself to put a claw hold on the next fish he saw jump out of the water. If the fish was large enough it would be non-lethal, but it would keep the fish on the land for consumption. Of course he would only employ that tactic if the creature was aggressively attacking him. It wouldn't be wise to assault the servants of the Goddess sent to help him.

[Phineus]

The damp feeling of fog across his skin stirred Phineus awake. He was lying flat on his back without his intent... again. That seemed to have been happening far more often than he would have liked recently. He eased himself into a sitting position and glanced about at the trees surrounding him, what were they doing with a thick layer of leaves on their branches in the middle of winter? He gave a start, the glanced about himself more frantically as he scrabbled to his feet. What the feth? Last time he had checked, he was in the middle of a city. "...the blazes did I get 'ere?" He grumbled, confusion painted across his face as he racked his brain for an answer.

The Katta peddler had taken a sudden turn as the wind suddenly picked up, he remembered Alessa gripping to his head like a limpet to stay on. He had steeled himself against it, feeling the sand scratch at his face. He'd swept his arm up to his face to shield against it as he heard something shatter. The Katta had damaged her own merchandise, for some obviously sinister purpose as he watched the frightening smoke billow from her mouth into the now open vase. He began to back away, whether Alessa protested or not, he didn't want anything to do with some creepy black vapour.

But then there was the singing, replacing the smoke and the wind with it's tempting lullaby. It pushed through him like bad ale, leaving him tired. He tried to fight it but he tottered, then slowly began to fall over as he fell asleep where he stood He landed with a thud, unaware of his shouldered cargo as he slumbered. He scratched his head now and groaned, it was magic, just had to be, that cocky Katta had obviously zapped them with arcana and a pretty light show. The sensation had not been unlike when Alessa had first driven a spell through him, draining him of all energy.

Speaking of Alessa, she was nowhere to be seen, her absence a mixed blessing. She couldn't berate him for letting them even get into the situation despite it being her fault, but he could not deny not having his mistress about and giving him menial tasks to do was a little distressing. As he thought, he realised that nobody else was around for that matter, and the problem of his unexpected relocation came to his mind once more. He was in some glum forest, near the sea still by the sounds of it and, sure enough, a little travelling revealed a pebbly beach. Fog wreathed everything, obscuring as much as it showed, making the sun from above twinkle through the leaves as they swayed back in a steady wind. There was something distinctly sinister about the noises and light of the forest, something Phin didn't particularly like, so he made his way out onto the beach instead. It was gravelly, covered in blackish shards of rock the likes of which he'd never seen. He reached down and collected one, surprised at the weight of it, and stared at the odd grainy surface of the dark block.

The sea glistened blue about him, drawing him to the edge of the beach. Imperia had been on the coast, he knew, but it was nothing like this from what he'd seen or heard. He looked down to see the water play across the pebbles. but it didn't move right. There was no splash and draw here, the water just seemed to draw on by, Phin frowned and looked back up at the sea, then lobbed his rock out as far as he could, watching to see how the splash moved. He then savagely kicked at the stones beneath his feet, sending them splashing through the water. Why was he stuck in the middle of nowhere on land that, for all intents and purposes seemed to be moving? He ran his fingers though his hair, taking a long, steadying breath, feeling the salty tang on the air graze across his throat as he settled his nerves.

He looked about, then began to walk along the coast, wondering how big an island he was on, maybe even see if he could find Alessa or somebody else in this weird place. He would explore the creepy forest later, when he was in the mood for dealing with foggy half light and trees you could get lost between. Oh how he hated arcana.

[Alessa Starncell]

When Alessa had an idea in her mind, it was hard to get it out. She wanted the urn, not sure why she wanted it, perhaps because she wanted to make sure that no one else had it. Was that not why some children had such toys and trinkets, bragging rights and such? It was obvious that Phineus was not exactly enjoying the little girl’s enthusiastic tugs at his hair but she was excited, she couldn’t help herself. Her deep blue eyes were wide with excitement, that was, until Phin opened his big stupid mouth. How dare he argue with her, well technically he wasn’t arguing but he was questioning her and she didn’t like that. To show her extreme dislike at being talked back to, Alessa beat her little fist down on the top of his head, she wasn’t very strong but it would still be a good knock. "Because I said so." She growled in annoyance, pretty much letting him know who was still in command.

Alessa’s attention was stolen from Phin, placed back on the urn and the katta who held it. There was something eerie about the elder katta, a light brown was arched when the katta’s face took on a somewhat pain expression. It only lasted a moment before it faded into something different, something more frightening and yet more interesting as well. It was as though a predator rested behind the old katta’s eyes and perhaps one did, it was hard to say. The child was not swayed in her interest even as the katta crooned to the people around her, her words chilling enough to send a chill up her spine, which wasn’t easy to do. The wind that had been so fierce before came back with a vengeance, whipping her little curls around as the hawker began to pull away the wax that had sealed the urn. Hey! That was Alessa’s urn, not hers, only Alessa should be allowed to open it.

Alessa covered her face as best she could from the whipping wind, her eyes stinging and tearing as it continued to blow. Such a terrific wind and it had started when the woman had pulled the seal from the urn and allowed it to smash on the ground. What the feth was going on here? Was it too much to ask to have an ordinary fethin brightening! Gods...

Alessa couldn’t help but watch the katta even as things were going insane by the second. The sinister malicious look that had been deep in her eyes had changed into relief before she buckled to her knees, her body thudding hard to the ground. "Phin, what is going on?" She demanded in slight fear and annoyance, her lovely urn was broken and that did not sit well with her. "I blame this on you!" She growled at Phin, it was his fault really, he had argued with her instead of obeying her right away. The onyx fog that rose from the katta was a rather frightening thing to see, though Alessa had seen things like that before, though not in this particular setting of course. Beautiful blue eyes blackened as the child got down from Phin’s shoulders, clearly angered that this was all happening, someone was causing chaos and it wasn’t her! How rude!

Taking the time to fluff her little dress, given that sitting on Phin’s shoulders had wrinkled her dress. She brushed a curl back and looked to Phin, but before she could order him to do anything, a beautiful siren voice began to sing. Alessa was not normally one to succumb to pretty music, but it was just so seductive and pretty that she couldn’t help herself. Her reaction to the music was not that of sudden dropping but rather like a child who was all warm and cozy, curling up with a favorite blanket as she was tucked in by a loving parent. She slowly curled up on the ground, not fighting it at all.

Closing her ebony eyes, Alessa allowed herself to enter the darkness of her dreams...

******
Sleep was hardly ever peaceful for the little child, but it seemed she didn’t have long to rest before she was awoken but the sound off the sea. Such a sound was amazing to hear considering where she had been, but the sea sounded so close and the smell of salt alone caused her eyes to burn. The small child shot up from her sleeping position, her dress wet from the water that dragged up upon the shore before it receded, black sand covered the side of her face that had been resting against the ground. Now how on Telath did she get here? And where exactly was ‘here’ anyway?

"Phin!" She called out as she got to her feet, trying to brush the black sand from her dress and skin, which wasn’t easy of course. Her hair was damp and salty from the water as well, which would bring her no end of trouble, her white cloak that rested so nicely around her shoulder had patches of black and hung heavily on her shoulders. Nevertheless, she chose, for the moment, to put the hood up over her damp curls to keep them out of her face. "Phin where are you?!" She called again, clearly agitated at the situation. How had she gotten on an island when she clearly remembered bein in Imperia with Phin? It didn’t make sense, unless this was a dream... Grumbling to herself bitterly, the child continued to brush sand off herself as she turned around. Her hands halted in mid-air, blue eyes widening as she caught sight of a familiar person standing at the western end of the beach. It was her daddy!

Ignoring the feeling that it was a trap, the child began to run towards the figure, arms outstretched...that was until the figure of her father disintegrated into a pile of black sand. She skidded to a halt, tears burning in her blue eyes as she looked down at the pile that had been her father. Taunting laughter echoed around her, whoever had placed her there was clearly enjoying the pain they brought out in the child. Such knowledge angered the child, her blue eyes once again taking on their deep inky blackness, her little fists whitening at her side, how dare they!

Wait...the taunting laughter; the figure of her father...All classic signs of someone wanting to get to her, to torture her and get a reaction out of her. It was something her father would have done to his victims as well, hurt them and break their spirits before he finished them off. Well..that was not going to be the case with the daughter of Xeno Starncell, Alessa was a strong child built on torture and pain. Her eyes shifted back to their beautiful blue again and she calmed down, walking calmly over to the pile of sand that had been her father.

She plopped down onto the ground and began digging in the sand, piling black sand on top of each other, a clear decision in her mind. She was going to make a dark sand castle!

[Aurelius Lucretia]

The young man blinked in surprise at the katta's evil little smile. His green eyes hardened as his thick brows dropped down in a movement that narrowed his eyes. The green eyes seemed as if the door slammed shut and he just looked at the woman. His long legs took a careful step back, mainly because in this area of the town one didn't causally step anywhere.

Something felt odd here, but Aurelius found himself mesmerized by what was going on. He knew that he should get away since the little warning sign in his brain was going off, but it appeared that he was already caught as his muscles wouldn't move.

His minds self preservation really began to kick in when the black mist came rolling out of katta, but still his body wouldn't move. His green eyes ignored the collapsed Katta and just watched.

The music that was so beautiful, was the final note of panich and Aurelius feet were able to move just a few feet before his mind shut down. Aurelius wasn't nieve that beauty equalled goodness. He actually didn't trust to perfect beauty. He had seen beauty that was also visious underneath. His own goddess, Haya was an perfect example. So it was that the last thing across his mind was 'Feth'

~~~~~

Aurelius was surprised to say the least when he found himself on a scorched island. His green eyes looked all around him as his perfectly shapped mouth turned down in a frown. His strong body was laying in the damb sand. He leaned up and looked his eyes hardened with annoyances. He had no clue were he was but he was going to hurt that katta when he got out of this and he was most certianlly going to get out of this.

He pulled his self up with a graceful movement as his mucles flexed under his shirt. He looked around and walked over to the carred stump. He ran his finguers across the stump, blacked soot coming off. He briefly wondered what had happened and how in the name of that tramp Diana was he here.

He turned and watched the fine in the water. His narrowed eyes watched the creature for a long moment. The size of that fine told him something large was just out of the water. He turned his eyes and looked down at himself. His pants were already wet up to his knees and clinging to his body. He was suspecting that he migh be doing some swimming or fighting and so stripped off his shirt and holding it began to walk around the island looking for an remaining resources and any usefull information.

[FrostFire]

Dante

A ripple in the waters about Dante would whisper about the dracon’s ears as a soft and rather gentle laugh echoed over to his minuscule island. The voice was feathery and light, almost like that of a child as another splash sounded no more than a few stretches from the dracon. Within the fading light of the dusk a slight figure could be seen rising faintly out of the water. Her body was covered in iridescent scales upon her chest with a faint pattering of the glittering skin dotting her neck and forearms. A gentle shimmer covered the entirety of her pale skin like the subdued glimmering of the stars that should have been peaking into existence above, yet the darkening sky remained devoid of light. Damp brunette locks cascaded down just to her shoulders to dangle freely in the briny waters, a knot of kelp tied about a few dark tresses pulled stray bits of hair away from her kind face. Rosy cheeks were flushed as her sea green eyes probed the sight before her with a bell like ring of laughter. The mermaid looked upon Dante before flicking a few droplets of sea water at him.

“Lost, little land creature?” She questioned warmly with a smile, no sinister intent dwelling within her eyes.

~~~

Aurelius

A sharp wind began to rise about Aurelius sending hot embers flying about the small island as the fire ravaged trees creaked in protest. Beneath the waves a deep rumbling began, as thought spit forth from the depths of some dismal fairytale. Yet the sound did not endure, this subdued roar hidden by the waves as the sea began to stir faintly just offshore. Obviously the creature Aurelius had spotted was still there, and was more than happy to wait for it’s quarry to come to its doorstep.
About the island, Aurelius would find little of use, burnt sticks and brush along with ash and charred sand were all that remained. It was only at the heart of the island that a most startling and altogether frightening sight could be found. There was a deeply burnt skeleton that had nearly been reduced to ash by the beast that lay in wait about the island. The skull and spine remained intact with half a right arm, the bones clutching a great charred spear that was completely blackened from the fires that had killed its previous owner. Upon the head of the weapon where the steel tip converged to a deadly point, a subtle blue glimmer could be seen from a deep cerulean gem that lay beneath the ashen surface. It was like the glow of starlight hidden behind unruly storm clouds, begging to be released from its shaded prison.

~~~

Vaishen

The creak of the vast ship continued in the enduring darkness as another faint splash sounded to the port side of the galleon, the endless yet never advancing flames dancing across the ship wavering at this sound as though some wind threatened to silence the glowing fires. Only a scattering of shattered cutlasses and knives littered the floor of the ship, the blades stained darkly and covered in a faint layer of rust. It would be then that a soft silver flash would flicker past Vaishen’s gaze, illuminating the ship itself along with the neighboring waters, much like lightening had only just danced past to offer a fleeting glimpse of his surroundings. A dark blemish could be momentarily seen upon the ocean’s surface as a terrible screech rippled forth, a cascade of bubbling froth ripping upwards as the ship suddenly rocked as thought struck by some violent wave. It was nothing that would sink the galleon, merely cause the young Vaishen to stumble before his eyes might fall upon a gleaming shape in the distance at the very front of the ship, something that may have just been the origin of the silvery flash.

A faintly rusted harpoon gun stood bolted firmly to the deck, the amber hued layer of rust cloaking the silvery device that was easily to be seen as an instrument of death. No harpoon rested in the weapon, but upon the ground just at the foot of the device were six of the spear like weapons. They too were slightly rusted. One so heavily corroded that it would surely jam the harpoon launcher, but would serve as something that could easily be thrown. A lever jutted out from the device, a primitive method for firing the harpoons, but one simple enough that Vaishen could grasp the concept quickly enough.

It was then that the ship rocked again from a second impact just before a great crash sounded, along with a spray of water flying outwards as a vast tentacle slammed on board where the ship was already rent in half. Vaishen would need to jump the gap if he wished to reach the weapon, and his chances of survival were already dwindling as the Kraken set it’s will against his own.

~~~

Alessa

As the child began her work upon her sand castle the minuscule island became silent for a fleeting moment before another sound flew throughout the area. That of a child’s curious laugh and a faintly familiar voice.

“What are you doing?” The voice inquired. It was obviously the voice of a young boy, and this guess would prove true as the figure of a small boy waltzed into view, his hair a coppery gold like Alessa’s with eyes to match. He wore a simple brown tunic along with a pair of canvas breeches. Before long he was there next to her kneeling down, looking upon this fascinating creature with an inquisitive expression. He said nothing else as he waited for her to reply. Yet a sneaking feeling would slip up Alessa’s back as she looked upon this boy, a familiarity that she would not be able to shake.

He grinned at her, his teeth a pearly white, his eyes now shaded by the onyx colored sky, eliminating all sense of color or light from them.

“What pretty eyes you have.”

~~~

Phineus

The pebble covered beach would continue for some distance, constantly curving its way around in a circular pattern. Every once and again the dracon would sight strange rocks mixed in with the smooth stones of the beach. These odd manifestations were seemingly adorned with an oddly familiar design, with lined ripples, much like that of some shell. But hardly one that would be found upon any beach.
The water that fled past the beach soon began to move faster while the water level began to increase to the point that Phineus would soon no longer be walking upon beach but back within the forest. It was as though the tide was heading in, yet there seemed to be no slowing this increasing rise in water level, as though the island he was set upon was literally sinking….

It would be some distance further before a large, strangely rounded cliff could be seen jutting out from the main part of the wooded island. A knotted surface that looked like no rock he had seen would cover the cliff. Here no grass or trees grew; it was all barren save for the odd surface stretched across the ground he walked upon. Where the very tip of the cliff converged, the water of the sea lazily parted around it as though this was the actual bow of a boat, parting the waves as it moved….

[Aurelius Lucretia]

Aurelius eyes had narrowed as a slightly flicker of fear flashed, but he put it back down. The creature out there was large, and he was guessing from the island could most likely breath fire. He watched the seem rummble and listed to the noises coming from the ocean. He raised his long fingured hand to keep the ash from blowing into his eyes as the breeze came up.

Aurelius kept an eye on the ocean, but quickly searched the island and avoided getting ash in he eyes. His body was begining to warm as he walked through the ash and dead bushes. The flacks of the ash, began to cling to his pants and his chest, the heat though caused his body to begin to sweet, little rivelates of water began to trickle down his chest, making tracks though the sweet. He moved quickly though because what were was in the water may be either hungry or bored.

He paused at the skeleton, seeing a dead body wasn't anything new for the Imperian who had seen his share of dead bodies on the road, and after the night of the red stone, the skeleton did give him a clue as to how hot that fire could get. It also told him that the creature hadn't eaten the previous occupant of the island, which meant either he didn't care to eat meet or was hungry since he had missed this meal. Either way Aurelius wasn't going to end up either way.

Still keeping an eye towards the distrubance in the water Aurelius picked up the spear tip. He looked at it for a moment figuring that it might be slightly usefull. He then contiuned and reached for the glimmering gem. His long fingured brushing away the dirt around the edges until he had found them, and then he reached out for it with his hand.

[Dante Asunder]

At the sight of the merwoman Dante relaxed a little. He was immediately reminded of Suvia Therongard, the merwoman he had joined up with in Ieffreon to clear out the haunted tower. He had admired that merwoman greatly, even to the point of naming one of his many fishing vessels after her, but unfortunately for the dracon hadn't seen her since. She had possessed a beauty that had caused the dracon to stutter and stammer like shy schoolboy asking the pretty girl in class for permission to court her.

This of course was not her. Due to the dracon's memory of what transpired right before he awoke on this bit of coral reef as well as other experiences he had had in this city along with his actual reason for being in Imperia in the first place the dracon was slow to trust this mer woman, in spite of the innocence in her eyes. He did decide however that it would be very foolish of him to spurn this possible venue for rescue.

"Indeed fair one. Tell me, you didn't happen to see whomever it was that stranded me here did you?"