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Deeds Undone	By : Mike256bit Category: +S through Z > Skies of Arcadia Views: 2748 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Skies of Arcadia, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
All previous notes apply

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
- 2
- 3
- 4
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