BountyOfTheSeas/Session14

BEGIN CHAPTER 14
A full circle of Solars - Pyhrra, Zeleny, Verdant, Callidora, and Irisa - idly wait for their wearisome journey to end. The tiny craft, still adorned with most of its original Wyld-wards, slowly skids to a halt in the midst of the placid waters, exactly equidistant between the three islands. Unoau fulfilled his bargain, but apparently felt no need to convey the Solars to a convenient location. The mists that had propelled the craft dissipate in the late-day sunlight.
Zeleny says, "Where to?" Zeleny inquires mildly. "The human village?" He picks up his oars.
Callidora wipes some sweat from her sun-browned brow. The journey had taken the better part of the day, all of it under the sun's unrelenting gaze.
Irisa says, "I should like a chance to... freshen up, Captain. If we could return to your ship, I would be most obliged."
Zeleny nods, sets oars to sea, and begins to row.
Callidora says, "Heh... I can't wait to tell the Courts about how you put Unoau in his place, Verdant. How did you hit him, anyways?"
Zeleny glances sidelong at Verdant. "Charms, I assume?"
Verdant says, "It's a charm of our kind, a method of hitting the nonphysical. A continuation of perceiving incorporeal spirits, and a precursor to one of the methods by which the Primordials died. Unoau was arrogant, trusting too much in an imperfect defense. Once that was proven fallible, a great deal of his confidence left him, I think."
Zeleny says, "Do you intend to pursue this method?"
Verdant pauses. "I don't know. It can be useful, but its use is also feared."
Callidora shakes her head. "No one ever mentioned such a thing to me. Wait - I can see spirits, have been ever since I, um, Exalted. Exalted? I guess. Anyways, does that mean I could do what you did?"
Verdant nods. "With a bit of training, yes."
She looks thoughtful, and a little unsettled.
Zeleny just rows.
Verdant says, "I do warn you, that such abilities would make you both treasured as an assassin and feared for your abilities among your Court. Perhaps not Spirit-Cutting Attack, but the higher art would most definitely gain you a reputation. You place higher stock in the esteem of gods than I do. Choose wisely."
Callidora says, "Hrm. Yeah... yeah..."
A short while later, the boat pulls alongside the bulk of the Brilliance. Crewmen quickly lower down rope ladders and assist Mistress Irisa aboard.
Callidora deigns to climb the ladder, instead launching herself straight up and onto the deck's railing.
Pyhrra follows, albeit by using the ladder.
Verdant climbs the ladder once Pyhrra is on deck.
Zeleny follows after him, muscles slightly sore.
The three women go their separate ways, presumably to clean up after their travels, and to rest. It has been a long and harrowing day. The ship is staffed by a skeleton-crew, the friendly local village having invited the majority of the crewmen ashore.
Zeleny glances at Verdant. "We should check in with the village. See if they have encountered are morbid friends."
Verdant says, "Aye. Though I do hope not. I don't look forward to seeing that 'Caress'...woman again. Well, part of me does, but that's part of what worries me. Still, I'd hope that can wait for a span of time to recover from our latest outing?"
Zeleny blinks. "Yes," he admits. "I suppose we should. For a few hours."
A few of the sailors, the only crewmen out on the deck, are heatedly whispering to one another. Finally, they seem to reach a consensus. Boor, the largest of the men, approaches the Captain, somewhat embarassedly.
Boor says, "Er, Cap'n, what exactly does "morbid" be meanin'?"
Zeleny says, "Death-like. Of death. And so on." He looks at them somewhat uneasily. "Why?"
Boor says, "Only reason we be askin', sir, is that we was ashore a few hours ago, when some strange folk that claimed to be friends of yours came to the village."
Verdant pinches the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger. "Oh dear. Let me guess. They all wore black and were somewhat unsettling?"
Boor nods his head as he talks. "'Death-like' be about the best description I'd-a come up with."
Zeleny looks at Verdant. "Sleep can wait." He turns to his minion. "Boor, good judgement call telling me."
Boor says, "Yessir. Thank ye, sir. They started askin' all sortsa questions about some artifact or another. They... she was painful to listen to, sirs."
Verdant says, "Painful? In what way?"
Boor's expression looks pained. "Like... like it was just easier to answer her than do anything else, right? Like, we woulda told her whatever she wanted to hear, 'cept she weren't talkin' to us."
Verdant says, "Sounds like Caress, all right."
Zeleny says, "Obviously," Zeleny says, very cool indeed, "we will need to have words with her."
Verdant says, "I was afraid you'd say that."
Boor is obviously concerned at this. "Sir, not meanin' no disrespect or nothin', but don't be making that woman angry. She was terrifyin' enough as it was, and I didn't like the look of her friends one bit."
Zeleny says, "You need not be concerned.' Meaningless reassurance, and hardly a promise. "Should we ask the women to come with us? Perhaps it would be better...if we did not..."
Verdant raises one eyebrow, his pinched fingers still on the bridge of his nose. "Really? That almost sounds like the exact opposite of how we percieved her..."
Callidora taps the Captain on his shoulder, from behind. "I'll come with!"
Zeleny nods. "Pyhrra should stay and guard the ship."
He claps Verdant on the shoulder. "After all, what is there to fear? You faced down a god today."
Verdant gives Zeleny a sidelong glance. "Captain, gods I can deal with." A moment's glance at Callidora. "Women are another matter entirely."
Callidora doesn't even notice the subtle jibe. "Sure are! Pyhrra's beat anyways, Cap'n. Looks like hell. And Irisa's already passed out on Shore's bunk."
Verdant says, "I'm hoping you mentioned this to Shore."
Callidora shrugs. "She's not around. Must be on the island. C'mon, let's go say 'hi'!"
She delicately leaps to the railing again, and drops into the water below with a quiet splash.
Verdant says, "She's not around? Then where is...she... Too late, as usual."
Zeleny says, "Then. We three." He gives orders to his crew, and, with a sigh, leaps back into the smallboat to reach shore.
Ashore, the rough sand of the volcanic island greets the three Solars.
Callidora is out of the boat and skipping through the surf before the hull has even hit ground.
Zeleny is just grateful to be walking, as he makes his way to the small village ahead.
The celebration is apparently still going on, although it appears to be winding its way down in this, its second evening. A single drum still beats out a rhythm, though, and the laughter of drunken sailors can be heard mingling with the voices of the natives.
Zeleny edges around the main thicket of the action, wary of being drawn in again, as he looks for his chief subordinates. Niehan sleepily leans against a hut at the edge of the small village. A crudely-worked cup of the natives' local brew is loosely clutched in one hand. Monk stands nearby, looking worriedly at Niehan.
Zeleny crosses the distance, feeling a tinge of amusement to see, as always, Monk being the sober one at the party. He nods to the two of them. "Have you happened to see a trio of Deathknights?
Upon closer examination, Niehan's expression is pained. He doesn't seem to hear the Captain.
Monk answers says, "If you mean that woman-"
At the mention of "that woman," Niehan quietly sobs.
Zeleny 's amusement all falls away at once, and his expression becomes distant and very cold. "I do. What happened?"
Monk shakes his head. "They were... must have been... demons, sir."
Zeleny says, "I see you have met them."
Monk says, "When she showed up, everyone started acting weird. I must admit, even I myself... but Niehan, and a few of the others, they..."
Zeleny says, "Yes?"
Verdant avoids looking directly at Monk in the hopes of not adding any more pressure, but his attention is most certainly on Monk's voice.
Monk examines his feet, unsure how to continue.
Zeleny says, "What did they do? How did - " he gestures at the ...shattered man standing next to them.
Monk says, "I don't exactly know, sir. They, uh, they started following her around like... like lost dogs. When she had the chief take her to see the artifact, they went with her. Her and her... retinue. She wouldn't let anyone else come, and frankly, I think most of us were glad to be away from her. She was... intoxicating..."
Zeleny says, "And then? Is the creature still inside?"
Monk says, "They came back, and she was clearly furious about something. I'm just thankful no one was killed. No, they left not long after they went to see the artifact."
Verdant chuckles ruefully. "I suspect she was underwhelmed at the device's capabilities."
Zeleny says, "...either that, or she saw no easy means of extracting it."
Monk says, "Niehan wasn't like this until she left and told them all to stay behind. Then he started drinking. A lot."
And Niehan didn't ordinarily drink. This was bad. "Niehan," Zeleny says quietly, to see if the man was responding at all.
Verdant says, "Intoxicating...of course...damn!"
Niehan grunts in response.
Zeleny says, "What did she do to you?" May as well be direct. Though Zeleny could make a pretty good guess.
Niehan mumbles something.
Zeleny says, "What did you say?" Excessive drink and devil-women were not sufficient excuse for speaking unclearly. Breaking men of mumbling was the first task aboard any sailing-ship.
<ST2> Monk offers, "I think he said 'broke my heart,' sir."
Zeleny says, "Niehan. She is an evil, evil, vile creature. And no doubt the only reason she didn't rip it out and feed it to her zombies is that she was pressed for time." He pauses, watching the man's face closely. "You should not mourn her. You should be glad of your escape from a devil-woman."
Niehan's eyes dimly try to focus on the Captain. He looks mildly enraged, through the haze of alchohol.
Zeleny says, "She was bad. And she was bad for you."
Then he starts to sob again. "I know... I know it... even... even took some of my blood, but... but I would've given her all I had, and more..."
Monk looks repulsed. "She took your -blood-?"
Niehan nods, still sniffling.
Verdant says, "Blood? Hmm..."
Zeleny 's eyes dim with rage, but the hand he places on his man's shoulder is gentle. Standing beside Niehan, he begins whispering to him... handling the man's psyche like shards of glass, as he attempts to put him back together again...
Niehan whimpers as Zeleny's Essence-laden words drive their way through the twin barriers of alchohol and heartbreak, piercing to the core of his being and lifting him bodily from heartbreak, into the shining glory of Zeleny's vision. Niehan's heart was broken by a deception crafted from Essence, and so it is fitting that his rebirth is similarly crafted. He blinks back the fog of intoxication, seeing his Captain standing before him, momentarily a shining beacon of pure light that fades back to the semblance of just a man.
Niehan says, "...Cap'n?"
Zeleny says, "Feeling better?" Zeleny asks mildly.
Monk says, "Well... I'm, uh... glad that worked out. I'm... going to... sit down now. Over... over here."
Niehan nods mutely at his captain.
Verdant watches Monk walk away. He sighs. The poor man had been spoon-fed (force-fed?) a half-truth from his birth. To shake off such delusions is not an easy thing.
Niehan says, "I need some water."
Zeleny hands him a half-empty canteen, and looks around for the village leader.
The leader is not in evidence.
Zeleny says, "Did you see where the leader went? ...maybe I should ask Monk."
Niehan gulps the water down. He nods at the Captain's assertion.
Monk avoids looking directly in the Solar's eyes. "I, uh, think he's lying down in his hut, sir. He looked pretty shaken up when he came back."
Zeleny says, "I see." Another one. "Which hut?"
Monk points.
Zeleny leaves the poor man be, and enters the hut.
The chieftain is talking quietly with what must be his wife. As Zeleny enters unannounced, he looks up in fear and alarm.
Verdant follows Zeleny.
Zeleny stops just past the threshhold. He asks quietly, "May I have a word?"
The chieftain responds in the unintelligible babble of these borderline-barbarians.
Verdant begins translating:
Chieftain says, "What you do here?"
He starts to rise from his seat on the simple bed.
Zeleny says, "I heard there were...a certain three individuals who came here. They are evil people, and so I was very concerned."
The chieftain finally recognizes Zeleny and Verdant as the ones responsible for bringing home so many of his village's men. He appears visibly relieved.
Chieftain says, "Bad men, yes. Very much bad woman. Pain much, ears."
Zeleny says, "You showed her...your god?"
Chieftain says, "She make show us God, yes. Very much angrying her."
Zeleny says, "Why?"
The chieftain shakes his head, apparently a gesture that persists even here, separated from civilization.
Zeleny says, "I will investigate," Zeleny assures him, and withdraws.
Verdant says, "Captain, a word with you?"
Zeleny says, "Hm?"
Verdant says, "Niehan's Essence has been drained."
Zeleny says, "By the creature?"
Verdant says, "Most likely. I suspected when he mentioned her drinking blood, and a quick look confirmed it."
Zeleny grits his teeth. "She'll suffer for it."
Verdant sighs. "Presuming she doesn't mess with our heads again the next time we see her."
Callidora says, "I dunno, I kinda liked it when she was messing with our heads. She was -pretty-."
Verdant whirls to face Callidora. He hadn't heard her approach...though that's hardly surprising in and of itself.
Zeleny frowns at the Night caste. "So she was," he agrees politely. He looks away, scowls. "Yes. I wonder...." But he doesn't say what he wonders.
Verdant says, "What is it, captain?"
Zeleny shrugs unhappily. "Verdant? Can you try to discover if the creature did any damage to machine?"
Verdant says, "Oh, and I'm worried that whatever magics Caress is using, it's making her presence...addictive."
Verdant nods. "I can take another look at it, see if anything's been tampered with."
Zeleny says, "Thank you. I'll speak to Niehan again."
Verdant nods, and turns to head to the villager's "god"...
Zeleny , meanwhile, goes to see if Niehan can provide any details of what happened beside the machine.
The three Solars reconvene, Callidora having accompanied Verdant Waves on his investigation. From the evidence available, they manage to reconstruct a rough idea of the events in the machine's cave. Firstly, the Abyssals drank from those villagers and crewmen they had brought with them, although the one whose description matches Grave's apparently refrained. The feeding occurred as soon as the group was out of sight of the village; once inside the cave, the Abyssals became too preoccupied with the device. Grave and Laughter presumably inspected it while Caress harangued the chieftain. She then stormed out, and (again presumably: Niehan had eyes only for the woman) the other two Abyssals followed behind. All accounts then seem to indicate that they returned to their black boat and sought out another island.
Zeleny says, "Should we seek to confront her immediately, I wonder?"
Niehan cracks his knuckles. "Aye, sir. I want a piece of that harpy for what she did to me."
Zeleny glances at him, and wonders how one politely mentions one's suspicions that the harpy could suck him dry should it ever come to a physical confrontation. Or any other sort of confrontation for that matter.
Zeleny gives Niehan and Monk a brief rundown of their interactions with Caress. "What do you suppose her master's goal in strengthening us is?" he asks, looking at Exalts and mortals both.
Verdant says, "My personal theory is either good faith or distraction."
Monk, Niehan, and Salas exchange glances. They clearly look out of their depth.
Zeleny says, "Good faith?" Zeleny is incredulous.
Verdant says, "Good faith, which means we focus on other threats instead of threats that bring us gifts, or distraction, in that we're running about breaking those seals rather than their plans."
Zeleny says, "Hm. It is plausible," he admits. "And do you think the scheme will work?"
Verdant says, "And if you're regretting accepting those gifts, captain, don't. If they are a threat then we'd have to deal with them, one way or another, sooner or later. Might as well do so with additional assistance. Either case is a risky proposition for their Master. It is a plan that can backfire horrifically if it goes wrong."
Zeleny says, "Presumably he trusts his planning capabilities." A pause. "Let's follow the lackeys. Whatever they are up to on those other islands...I am sure it is nothing which I approve."
"Yay!" Callidora claps her hands and runs back to the boat, disappearing into the night.
Verdant says, "What confuses me, captain, is how eager they were to drink blood... Especially since they didn't appear to do anything to the device."
Zeleny says, "Perhaps they were hungry." His hands clench. He follows Callidora to the boat.
Verdant says, "I don't think so captain." Verdant walks in step with Zeleny. "There is Essence in blood, I know enough thaumaturgy to know that. So I had figured they were intending to use the blood to power some ritual...but they didn't do anything. Maybe they needed to replenish their own stocks of Essence?"
Zeleny shrugs. "And they draw this Essence from blood? Perhaps. But why would they need to?"
Callidora says, "Because it's -yummy-?"
Zeleny answers his own question. "...or they're some kind of ghost. Nemessaries...powerful ones."
Verdant says, "That could fit...they might need Essence to stay in Creation..."
Zeleny shrugs again. "Maybe when we see them, we can ask." Though Zeleny doesn't seem in any particular mood for conversation.
The tiny boat is waiting for the three Sun-Chosen. It sits halfway between the dark sands and the inky-black water.
Zeleny push it out, climbs in. He glances at the shape of the Brilliance in the distance, and decides that Pyhrra ...did not need to meet Caress again. And Irisa had never displayed much martial ability.
Verdant says, "So, what's our move, Captain?"
Callidora stands, not tipping the boat in the least, and points in a vague direction that must be over the villager's island. "Black boat's that way. Saw it from up high while you were talking with the stubbly guy. Niehan."
Zeleny says, "...then that is where we will go." He heaves. The boat rocks a bit, and soon it is moving, as Zeleny expertly guides it- onward! To adventure!
Verdant says, "Captain, if we're going to confront these creatures, I'd like to do it on a full tank of sleep."
Zeleny falls silent for a moment.
Zeleny says, "Then we should sleep." ...and he begins to row to the Brilliance.
Callidora says, "Not getting -tired-, are ya, Captain?"
Zeleny says, "Not at all. But nevertheless...rest is wise."
Callidora makes a pseudo-pout. "I bet the pretty girl doesn't have to sleep."
Verdant sighs. "It's entirely possible she doesn't breathe, either."
Callidora says, "I wish I didn't have to breathe..."
Verdant says, "Start by holding your breath as long as you can..."
Callidora takes a deep breath and holds it, her cheeks puffed out, eyes bright with mirth.
Zeleny glances at them, and at the puff-cheeked Callidora, and keeps his thoughts to himself as he continues towards the Brilliance.
Zeleny says, "Verdant, if we sleep the night, we may lose them....are you sure...?"
Verdant sighs. "All right, all right, let's just go."
Callidora's eyes pantomimes choking, finally dunking her head over the edge of the boat and taking a large lungful of water. Her expression becomes one of tranquility as she takes several more deep breaths.
Verdant says, "Try to keep your wits about you."
When Callidora whips her head out of the water, the splash hits both of her companions in the vessel.
Callidora says, "What did you say, Verdant?"
Zeleny rows. Quickly. Attempting to reach the Deathknights before Callidora has an opportunity to scuttle them...
Verdant sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, murmuring something along the lines of "Give me strength".
The Solars sight the black ship just is it begins to move once more, apparently abandoning the uninhabited island, and moving with an eerie stillness towards the beastmen's isle.
Zeleny's feverish rowing is not enough to keep pace with the deathship, but the Solars arrive not too far behind their quarry.
The Abyssals are visible on the beach, along with their five berobed servants. They stand face to face-equivalent with several of the beastmen, and apparently there is some argument taking place.
Verdant says, "Hmm. Now what?"
Zeleny sets them down not far away from the dispute. He steps gracefully out of the boat, and feels glad, in a remote way, for the warm feel of orichalcum that wrapped around his forearms.
Callidora says, "Ready to rock?"
Zeleny glances at her in brief confusion. "Rock? No, we have metal weapons."
Callidora says, "...as in, hit them with rocks? Big ones? That may or may not be lying around nearby..."
Callidora says, "Aww."
Zeleny says, "You may do as you wish of course," Zeleny replies politely. "...however tactically ineffective." He glances briefly at Verdant to check that he is ready.
Verdant says, "I take it the conversation you have in mind captain, is the type that is rather one sided and ultimately monotonous."
Callidora hefts the simple sword she had adopted after sacrificing her staff to 'liberate' Irisa.
Zeleny says, "Such conflict may be avoided." Zeleny's tone implies that such a hope would be rather optimistic, however.
While the other two deathknights are involved in their conversation, Grave quietly turns to face the approaching Solars. He makes no move, merely observes.
Verdant says, "Your move captain." Verdant stands with his staff in one hand, watching the Abyssals.
Zeleny eyes the Deathknight calmly and evaluatingly. He hadn't missed that the silent man was the only one who had not partaken of his crewmen's flesh. He continues to approach.
Caress is speaking in the rough tongue of the barbarians and the beastmen, apparently demanding something obscure of the beastmen. They seem reluctant to oblige. Many of them hold their weapons tight, and their claws involuntarily open and close with quiet clicks.
Zeleny says, "Do you understand, Verdant?" Zeleny asks quietly.
Laughter listens, leaning towards the beastmen in an arrogantly casual fashion.
Verdant says, "Hard to make out what they're saying at this distance."
Zeleny says, "Then lets get closer."
<Zeleny> He continues until he is within a few feet of Graves.
Verdant follows Zeleny.
Laughter catches the Solars out of the corner of his eye. He starts, and waves Caress' attention away from the 'conversation.' Caress whirls. Her reaction betrays her surprise - she is momentarily caught flat-footed.
Zeleny bares his teeth at her in a parody of a smile. "You hurt my men."
Caress tries to compose herself. "They enjoyed it."
Zeleny says, "They did not. You hurt my men." Almost a snarl.
Verdant says, "A very subjective term. I believe you managed to cram the emotional effects of a complete infatuation into the space of a few hours, if that."
Caress waves the accusation away. "We should all be so lucky, to experience something so intense as they did."
Verdant says, "Being cast aside is not an experience that is enviable."
Caress says, "The emotion isn't what's important, my pretty. It's the -strength- of the emotion."
Verdant says, "Wrong. Strong emotions are dangerous things, they can do great good or ill. In your case, you have done harm."
Caress brow furrows with anger. "Can you tell me what harm that is, exactly?"
Verdant says, "Well, we found more than one man in a drunken depressed stupor attempting to drown his sorrows in as much strong drink as was available. You tell me."
Caress sniffs. "Sounds like a typical passtime for a sailor. I don't see what you're upset about."
Even in the darkness, Inspiration of Men catches the faint light of the moon, glints golden. "You fed from them," Zeleny spits. Blades unfurl from his golden gauntlet. "They are not your toys, witch."
Verdant curtly turns to the beastmen. "What she ask of you?" he says in the barbarian tongue.
Caress eyes the blades warily. Laughter licks his lips, slowly and deliberately. The beastmen appear uncomfortable answering the question. "Great Father secret. They make hurt."
Verdant says, "Make hurt? Make threat?
Caress snaps at them to hold their tongues.
Verdant looks disdainfully at Caress. "Well, that's one way to confirm my suspicions."
Beastman says, "Make threat, hurt, for Great Father secret."
Caress says in the barbarian tongue, "Silence!" She answers the Solars, "They are delicate creatures. I regret that my Charms may have been too much for their delicate ears."
Laughter leans over, whispers something in Caress' ear. She waves him away.
Caress says, "Surely, you have had occasion to be misunderstood by lesser creatures?"
Zeleny says, "Lesser creatures?" Zeleny's voice is a deadly whisper.
Caress gestures to the beastmen. "Surely you cannot tell me you do not find their appearance repulsive? These are things forgotten by... our world. Twisted by the Wyld. They are not like you and I."
Zeleny says, "I am not a fool, Caress. And I am tired of your lies, creature."
She makes a dramatic sigh. "We won't fight you, Captain. Our Lord prohibits it."
Zeleny says, "Does he? Then leave these isles, and do not return."
Caress says, "I desire nothing more. But I may not leave before we extract the information we require from these... beings."
Verdant mutters, "Figures that she'd say 'extract'..."
Caress says, "I am afraid I also must request an audience with Mistress Irisa, as well, although that may be arranged upon our ship our yours, as you desire."
Zeleny says, "I fear you do not understand my meaning," his voice still soft. "Leave now."
Caress stares at Zeleny impassively.
Zeleny says, "Your choice." His lips curl into a parody of a smile, and his eyes are gray and hateful. And he attacks.
With a motion like a black lightning-bolt, Grave strikes Zeleny.
In the frozen eternity before Grave's weapon buries itself in Zeleny's chest, the captain idly wonders where the spear could possibly have come from.
Zeleny skirts to the side as he sees the deathknight coming.
Grave skids to a halt in the sand, back turned to the Solars, his faintly-moaning spear having tasted only the cool night air.
Zeleny continues in run, his eyes fixed on Caress's - his golden blades aimed at her heart. He would kill her. That much he could do.
His eyes were already fixed on Caress' - it was a simple matter for her magic to lock them there. Zeleny feels an oily presence slide across his will. It lingers there, trying to crush him into subservience, but he drives it away with a mighty surge of righteous anger. Caress' eyes widen in horror as the onrushing Solar lunges for her heart-
-when Laughter slams into the Solar feet-first, massive soulsteel boots letting out a piteous cry.
The two tumble to the ground in a struggling heap, interspersed with soulsteel and orichalcum.
Verdant hears the moaning of Grave's spear and begins to recognize the weapon's nature in the moment it takes to reevaluate the threat Grave presents. With blinding speed his staff roars toward's Grave's head, first one end, then the other.
With a horrible pair of cracks, the deathknight - left defenseless by his lightning-attack - is battered by the whirling staff. He falls to his knees, supporting himself with his spear.
Callidora vaults over the struggling Zenith and his foe, tackling the still-shocked Caress and pushing her back into the confused mass of beastmen.
With a whirl of black robes, the masked servants descend on Verdant Waves.
Verdant says, "Erk!"
Laughter grasps Zeleny's throat, raising his fist in a horrible clawed gesture as though to plunge it into the captain's chest.
Verdant says, "Oh, right, target fixation bad..."
And the beastmen swarm around Callidora and Caress - until the Moonshadow bursts from the hostile crowd, sailing through the air and hurling a shower of near-invisible daggers behind her. Meanwhile, Grave staggers to his feet, and passively observes Verdant struggling with the undead clinging to him.
Zeleny raises his slashfists, crossing them against his chest. He pushes upwards, and the blades biting across Laughter's forearms. Zeleny rolls to the side. He kicks at the deathknight's knees, as he struggles to climb to his feet.
Laughter doesn't cry out, or hiss in pain - he chuckles, even as his deadly strike buries itself in the sand where Zeleny rested not a heartbeat before. With a single, smooth motion, Laughter uses the impact of his strike to instead propel him back to his feet.
Zeleny leaps back a step, drops into a wary crouch. His eyes are narrowed as he considers his opponent.
He lifts his chin in acknowledgement of Zeleny, a twisted grin running across his face, even as the bright red blood runs down his forearms. Blood which might be Niehan's...
Verdant lashes out at the undead swarming him. One of them tries to slice at his head, but in an instant Verdant has moved out of the way of the attack and retaliates.
Zeleny snarls at the laughing monster, and golden essence begins to collects around his slashfists. The Zenith streaks forward in a blaze of light, essence splashing the sand which rises up behind him from the speed of his attack.
Callidora hurtles out of the crowd of beastmen, sailing past the gently falling Caress, making a deadly swipe with her simple sword - an attack that meets only air, as Caress impossibly twists aside.
Laughter's voice calls out in wordless jubilation as he falls back before Zeleny's assault, his hands and boots flicking out to bat aside each attack almost before it happens.
Caress says, "Fall back! Fall back, you fools!"
Zeleny looks up from his quarrel with Laughter, as a cat upon scenting its prey. The speed with which he whirls leaves grooves in the sand, as he searches for her voice. Temporarily disregarding his opponent.
Caress is still delicately sailing through the air, her raven-feather cloak billowing out to resemble nothing so much as a hideous pair of wings. Laughter takes the opportunity to vault over Zeleny's shoulders, pushing off with his massive boots in such a way as to both propel him further and give Zeleny a memorable blow to the collarbone. Grave darts into the pile of undead servants, his spear flicking in to draw Verdant's attention while the servants detach themselves and retreat. Caress' cloak releases its unnatural shape, and she drops delicately to the ground. With a single mocking bow, and a flurry of tiny daggers, she and Laughter run for their boat.
Verdant evades the massive spear with unnatural speed, such that it is unclear where he is from moment to moment.
Zeleny staggers back, cursing. A quick glance is all it takes to tell him that he could not catch Caress or the madman before they reached their boat. Which left only Grave.
With a tip of his hat, the spear-wielder locks eyes with Verdant, then turns to join his companions.
Callidora says, "I got him!"
She lunges, with Essence-fueled speed, directly at the retreating figure's back.
He whirls, the butt of his spear planting itself squarely in her sternum, then hurling her back towards Verdant and Zeleny.
Infuriated by Grave's mocking retreat, Verdant cries out, "Oh no you don't. Rise, Sprouting Shackles of..." Essence roars as Verdant begins his spell.
Zeleny says, "Well. At least they're leaving." Zeleny's calm tone is belied by the rage that still fills his eyes, by his clenched jaw.
With a massive flaring of necrotic Essence, the deathknight whirls a second time. His anima burns black against the night sky, and Verdant feels fear as the energies of his spell writhe out of his control.
Caress cries out, "Grave!"
With a horrible noise like a dying thunderclap, the deathknight's magic causes the Sprouting Shackles of Doom to explode all around the Twilight.
Verdant says, "What the-? Ow ow ow!" Verdant is caught in the twisting energies of Essence run amok.
Zeleny sees Verdant fall to his knees, seemingly in the midst of a small explosion, that sends secondary fires spiraling through the air and burning on the surface of the beach sand.
Callidora picks her head up from the furrow she made in the ground as she was hurled away by Grave's spear.
By the time any of them can see the deathknights again, their boat is already steadily plowing its way towards the dark, menacing ship floating off-shore.
Callidora shakes her head, somewhat disoriented
Zeleny says, "Dammit." He turns his head to eye the village. "I wonder what they were after."
Verdant slowly rises to his feet, looking rather uncomfortable.
The beastman leader comes to stand next to Verdant. "You well being?"
Verdant says, "Will be." Verdant lets out a few...choice words in Old Realm.
Callidora corrects Verdant's pronunciation. The Twilights may be scholars, but the Night know better profanity.
Zeleny says, "What were the Prince's minions after?" Zeleny nods to the beastman. This is shorthand for 'translate, Verdant.'
Verdant doesn't bother to ask the beastman, having already heard the answer. "They were after the Great Father's secret."
The beastman eyes the menacing ship of the deathknights.
Zeleny says, "What is that?"
Verdant asks the beastman, "Who is Great Father?"
Such as it is possible for a half-man, half-crab to appear weary, this beastman appears so. It's mostly a posture thing. He gestures for the Solars to follow him.

Soon, the Solars are seated around a fire, along with the chieftain and several of his largest and most decorated warriors. Other villagers peer anxiously from the thresholds of their strange dwellings.
Callidora waves merrily to the crabmen.
The beastman Chieftain says, "We no protect Great Father secret. Destroyers come, you save we."
Chieftain says, "Great Father shamed - we no worthy of Great Father secret."
Verdant says, "He says they didn't...or can't...couldn't...something the secret. But I suspect he's saying he believes we can."
Zeleny says, "What is this secret?" Perhaps he didn't need to know. But he was curious.
Callidora says, "He wants to tell or give us something. Be nice and if he starts to hestitate make a speech."
Chieftain says, "Shining Ones protect Great Father. Great Father protect Shining Ones. Great Father tell we. We protect Great Father, secret."
Verdant says, "Shining Ones protect the Great Father, and vice versa. The Great Father told them this, they protect the Great Father and the secret"
Zeleny says, "Who is the Great Father? Where is he?"
Chieftain says, "Destroyers... come, make bad, make hurt. We not tell Great Father secret... but maybe. Not Shining Ones... maybe."
Chieftain says, "You Shining Ones. We know."
Verdant says, "Hard to follow here. I think he's saying he's not going to tell us the secret, but he might...and maybe we're the Shining Ones...not sure."
Verdant says, "Correction, he says we are the shining ones."
Zeleny says, "Er. Tell him we want to help."
Chieftain says, "Not Shining Ones, Destroyers take secret. Shining Ones come, stop Destroyers."
<Zeleny> Sitting beside the fire, Zeleny wraps his arms around a knee and rests his chin on it.
Chieftain says, "Shining Ones take secret, stop Destroyers."
Verdant says, "I think he's making a speech captain, let him speak...ok, the Destroyers, I presume those are the deathknights, wanted to take the secret, but we drove them off...now we should take the secret and stop the Destroyers..."
Zeleny says, "If stopping them means burning their bodies and scattering the ashes, I have no objection."
Chieftain says, "Shining Ones, yes? Take secret?"
Verdant says, "Yes. We take secret, stop Destroyers."
The chieftain rises. He waits for Verdant to rise as well.
Verdant stands up, his Castemark still glowing on his brow.
Callidora helpfully rises to follow the cheiftain.
The towering crab-man clasps the thin Twilight in a crushing hug.
Verdant says, "Ooof!" Verdant was clearly not expecting that.
He embraces each of the other Solars in turn. He smells strongly of the sea. And slightly of seafood.
Callidora gives the chieftan a hearty hug, deftly avoiding the sharper parts of the crabmen.
Zeleny is bemused. "Ah- right- very good. Er. You can put me down now...."
Callidora gives a not entirely kind smile to Verdant.
Embraces exchanged, the beastmen lead the small group of Solars into the island's interior. They apparently do not come this way often - they move awkwardly throught the vegetation, periodically snipping obstructions out of the way with their powerful claws. The chieftain stops at a section of island that looks exactly like all the others. Upon closer examination, however, there is a depression, thickly overgrown and leading down into darkness even deeper than the rest of the island.
Zeleny says, "Here?" Zeleny forges ahead, brushing aside vegetation with Inspiration of Men.
Chieftain says, "This, destroyers want. You, take. We honor Great Father, you honor Great Father secret."
There, sitting almost casually against a rock ledge - a massive but distinctly human-shaped formation. It would be easy to overlook if you weren't staring into this depression at the right angle, but something unnatural is definitely wedged back in there.
Verdant says, "Hidden almost in plain view. Impressive." Verdant walks towards the ledge.
<ST2> The entire depression is overgrown with the island's native vegetation, some of it mildly mutated by Wyld energies, and the unusual formation is no exception; a thick carpet of vines, moss, and shrubbery conceals the formation's surface and obscures its profile.
Callidora inspects the depression. Tries fitting into it.
The jungle floor here runs up against the rocky ridge that runs the length of the island - a sudden increase of elevation, 15 feet or more. In this particular spot, however, the jungle floor drops down even lower, almost 7 feet deep at its farthest point, where it meets the rock ledge. At the back of the depression, 7 feet below the rest of the jungle, and nearly 22 feet below the top of the rocks above, there rests an enormous, overgrown statue. Upon approaching it, the Solars are dwarfed by its size. The statue is seated: one leg stretches out in front, the other knee is raised with an arm resting on top, but even so the torso alone is more than ten feet from ground to top of head.
Verdant starts to remove the vegetation growing on the statue.
Clearing away some of the vegetation, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary stone carving. The statue isn't made of stone, but a brilliantly shining silver that seems completely untouched by the weathering this statue must have endured. And here, in many places there are parts of orichalcum, too; if this entire statue is made of magical materials...
Verdant gasps.
Zeleny says, "What?" He's standing a few feet away from the statue and Verdant.
Verdant says, "This...this isn't a statue..."
Zeleny says, "What then? Some slumbering god?" He isn't entirely joking.
Seizing the iniative, Callidora decides to jump on the thing's head to get a better look
Verdant says, "One way to put it, if I'm right..." Verdant climbs onto the "statue"s lap, then to the back, trying to clear vegetation up there. He appears to be looking for something.
Callidora alights atop the massive head. The top of her head still doesn't quite reach the treeline of the rest of the jungle.
Zeleny steps, back, cranes his neck as he strives to keep Verdant in sight.
Verdant mumbles, "Wonder how well this thing has held up though..."
Verdant can't seem to find what he seeks. Part of the problem is that the structure rests its back against the stone wall, prohibiting access.
Verdant scratches his head. Then he tries examining the chest.
Verdant says, "Gotta be here somewhere..."
A beautiful, impossibly ornate design covers the chestplate. It depicts a series of waves, what seems to be the major islands of the West, and interwoven with the designs is Old Realm script.
Verdant examines the design.
The design itself is a masterwork, as is the calligraphy, and the engraving...
The writing Names this 'Ruler of Cerulean Seas.' The name sends a shock through Verdant's souls...
A torrent of images crashes down around him - remembrances of Ages past. He remembers standing on a balcony, in what must be a workshop, but... a workshop of impossibilities. He overlooks a hundred projects, each relying on tools so advanced that any single one would be a priceless wonder in the Second Age of Man. He stands beside a figure - indistinct in the memory - the owner of the workshop, who proudly displays the works of his brilliance. And below, stretched out below, is the Ruler of Cerulean Seas, a grand work for a grand love - a weapon, a conveyance, and a companion all in one.
Verdant snaps back to his body, his mind - his time.
Verdant speaks softly in Old Realm, as if in a daze. "Hello again, Ruler of Cerulean Seas."
A pale, silver light shines down on Verdant's face. Callidora shouts from above.
Verdant looks up.
The warstrider's head has tilted downwards, nearly displacing Callidora. Its eyes shine, and seem to be staring directly at Verdant.
Calli Callidora lies on her stomach on the head, her face peeking over the statue's brow With absolutely no sound, the metal of the chestplate melts away, receding into itself, folding outwards in stylized armor-panels...
Calli says, "Nice to meet you!"
With the sound of vegetation being rent, the right hand lifts, as if to acknowledge Callidora's greeting.
Calli looks surprised. She had been voicing the machine's part. Looks like she'd have to get out of that habit now.
Verdant says, "I imagine you've been here a long time."
Zeleny looks up- and up and up. Seeming somewhat stupefied.
The warstrider's gaze seems to return to Verdant... though it has no definable eyes, exactly.
If it can answer his statement, however, it chooses not to do so. The open chest cavity beckons.
Verdant steps in.
Inside the chest, a silver chair greets Verdant's inquiring gaze. None of the usual straps or harnesses... no visible control mechanism, in fact. The chair is built into the metal of the armor, and otherwise the inside walls appear solid and smooth.
Verdant blinks, then sits down in the chair.
Again, with no sound, the chest closes. Callidora and Zeleny see Verdant disappear inside the great construct.
Zeleny looks up at her. "What happens if he can't get out?"
Meanwhile, inside the construct, Verdant looks about, somewhat nervously. "So. Do you need a Hearthstone to function, or..."
Verdant is suddenly treated to a deluge of input. The metal of the armor surrounding him seems to melt away into the faintest distortion, as if he were viewing the outside world through water.
Verdant says, "I guess not."
There is no slit or gap through which to view the outside world - the segment of hull immediately before his face instead displays the outside world, with far better peripheral vision.
Calli "We'd just have to feed him in there, I guess!"
Verdant says, "Amazing. So how do we move?"
Where his hands rest on the arms of the chair, two faintly glowing red spheres have appeared.
Calli knocks on the head. "C'mon, let's get this show on the road!"
Zeleny backs up another couple steps. "You think it's going to move?" he asks warily.
Verdant grasps the red spheres.
Calli "I can't imagine how else they'd get the damn thing in here. If it didn't move, what the hell would we do with it? Melt it down?"
As his hands pass through the red light, Ruler moves, although rather awkwardly. Its shoulders jerk at the vines covering its surface.
Calli "Ya hear that Shiny, get moving or we'll make ya into magical boots!"
Zeleny says, "Or not," Zeleny replies, glancing back at the crabman.
The head twists, angling downward, and Callidora is in serious danger of sliding forward, straight down.
Zeleny says, "It would be discourteous. Not to mention murderous. Since it appears to have...some form ...of intelligence."
The head turns back to regard Zeleny.
Zeleny says, "Hello."
A... a small nod?
Verdant says, "Hmm. Let's try...this then..." Verdant places his hands in the spheres.
Calli is enjoying the ride.
With a little bit of trial and error, Verdant determines which hand motions correspond to which body parts. The interface is very intuitive, although he still seems to be missing some portion... With some awkwardness, Ruler makes as if to rise, tearing and displacing vegetation as he does so.
Zeleny says, "Are you going to start walking?" Zeleny asks the colossus, just to be sure.
Calli jumps down to sit on the creature's shoulder
Verdant leans forward, checking to see if there are more spheres by his feet.
Verdant says, "I'm working on it, captain, I don't have the manual with me..."
Verdant says, "Ruler of Cerulean Seas, what am I doing wrong here?"
Calli regards Shiny with amusement. "Don't worry gal, he'll just used to you. He gets used to all of us sooner or later."
Zeleny says, "Gal? He's clearly male."
As the vegetation sloughs off of the lustrous exterior, more details become evident.
Verdant feels a warmth come over his mind as he speaks the warstrider's name. Simultaneously, Verdant meets Ruler face-to-face, and the other Solars see Ruler face-to-face.
Calli says, "Are you kidding me! A man would never look this good!"
Decorated with an organically aquatic motif, large fins feature prominently on its head, shoulders, back, forearms and shins; the 'face' of the warstrider resembles a man, a shark, and a crab all at the same time, and still manages to look more ferocious than hideous.
Zeleny looks up. Rubs his head. "Er." He's momentarily at a loss.
Verdant says, "Hi. I'm Verdant Waves, Copper Spider and Chosen of the Unconquered Sun."
Calli smiles at Zeleny's befuddlement. Good to see she still had "it".
Without words, Verdant understands that Ruler is listening to him. The warstrider requires a combination of verbal, mental, and physical input.
Verdant says, "All right...let's stand up." In his mind Verdant pictures the construct getting to its feet.
Verdant has a vague sense of desire - desire to move, to run, to swim again after a countless age. Gracefully, Ruler of Cerulean Seas stands to its full height. The last of the plant matter falls to the forest floor.
Zeleny says, "Er." Well, it was a machine. And it had intelligence. So it wasn't a slave. Having put the issues into these terms, Zeleny looks back up at the thing. And up. "Do you want to leave this island with us?" he asks.
It is nearly 23 feet tall. It stands with the imperious might that only a moonsilver automaton can.
Verdant says, "You've been bored, eh? Well, I think you'll have plenty of excitement with us... Come on, old friend. Show me what you've got."
With a single motion, Ruler steps out of the depression in which it has sat for uncounted years. Its head easily clears the low-rising trees of the island, and the moon shines down on Ruler once more.
Zeleny watches him go, open-mouthed.
Head and shoulders... waist... once he stands amongst 8-foot tall trees, Ruler dwarfs them. Verdant's viewpoint is still in the chest, however, some 17 feet above ground level.
Calli gets a firm grip and prepares nfor t he ride
In a startlingly human gesture, Ruler stretches its arms wide. One giant, moonsilver hand reaches over and gently plucks Callidora, placing her delicately on the rock ledge nearby. Then, with a total of three massive strides, Ruler is out of the jungle, over the beach, and launching itself clear over the beastman village in a headfirst dive. Verdant feels real joy, the strongest emotion he's yet received from the device, upon hitting water. He is momentarily taken aback as the entirety of the machine seems to dissolve around him - leaving him with the eerie sensation of floating, suspended in the ocean's waters.
Verdant says, "Waaahooo!" Verdant cannot help but echo the device's exhilaration.
With the merest urging from Verdant, Ruler races through the water. Its speed is difficult to judge, but based on the ocean floor surging past, Ruler travels at least as fast as a Stormwind Rider.
Verdant says, "Wow...quick, aren't you?"
Zeleny says, "He swims. He's a giant - clock - and he swims!" Zeleny climbs up a tree, and attempts to watch its progress through the seas.
The machine responds with a quick series of evasive manuevers, in all three dimensions, ending with a leap that propels the massive construct clean out of the water - becoming momentarily opaque again - then crashing back into the dark sea.
Verdant laughs. "You like the water, don't you?"
There is the vague feeling of laughter, laughing agreement - positive emotions coming from the machine. Taking Ruler through his paces, Verdant guides the machine in a race around the island - three laps, at an amazing speed.
Verdant says, "Well then, we've been sailing all over the place. My kind has been gone a long time...and the world has changed a lot, and I don't think for the better. There's a lot of work to be done, Ruler." Verdant pats the armrest affectionately. "Will you come with us, old friend?"
As the machine forges up the side of the island, emerging from the sea in a glittering cascade of water droplets, Verdant can feel the echo of agreement.
Verdant chuckles. "I'm glad. Good to have you with us."
There is an echo of sadness, too, but it fades as quickly as all the other emotions.
Verdant says, "What was that?"
No response.
Verdant says, "What's wrong, Ruler?"
The machine feels like any other construct of metal - no emotion leaks out to touch Verdant's mind.
Verdant says, "Come on, Ruler you can tell me, what's making you sad?"
A vague feeling of comfort - 'don't be concerned' - alights on Verdant's mind.
The machine kneels next to Callidora and Zeleny, who have gathered nearby on the beach.
Verdant sighs. "All right. Come on, let's get back to the others, ok?"
Zeleny still looks a bit stunned. His shock has given way to wonder, however, as he takes in the massive machine.
The chest-hatch slides open/apart/away soundlessly, and Verdant steps out.
Verdant says, "Wow what a rush!"
Zeleny says, "He swam."
Verdant says, "Oh yeah, faster than my Stormwind Rider. And that's what Ruler lives for, it would seem."
Zeleny says, "So he wants to come with us?"
Ruler's chest closes again. It watches the three Solars impassively.
Callidora impassive, her ass. Shiny had more personality than some Gods Callidora knew.
Verdant says, "Yes. The best description is it's been, well, bored sitting here all this time."
Callidora that robot's got something going on in her skull, if only she could figure out what.
Zeleny says, "Hm." The Guild is not going to be happy about this. Zeleny smiles. "So...he's joining the crew?"
Verdant says, "One way to put it. I don't advise bringing Ruler here on deck."
Zeleny says, "No. I can see that would be...unwise..."
Callidora regards the macine.
Calli says, "Do you want to swim long distances, or should we get you some sort of boat?"
Ruler regards Callidora without comprehension.
Zeleny says, "Are you happy swimming for a few months?" Zeleny tries.
Verdant translates for Zeleny. In Old Realm he says, "You have choices now. You clearly have some ideas about what you want to do. Tell us."
The chest panel opens once more.
It seems to indicate that any of the three are welcome to enter.
Callidora bounds in.
The chest closes.
The interior is not dark - the transparency effect takes place as soon as Callidora is seated and the panels are closed.
Verdant says, "Oh dear."
Callidora looks around. Somehow, she sorta figured she'd know what to do when she got there.
Verdant shouts. "Callidora! It wants verbal, mental and physical input! Talk to it!"
Verdant backs away from Ruler.
The glowing red orbs on the armrests are the only thing Callidora can see, besides the outside. Glowing... shiny... candy-red orbs...
Callidora says, in Old Realm, "Stand up?"
Callidora mentally shrugs. She hadn't been cautious in years, no reason to start now. Callidora puts her hands on the orbs.
At Callidora's words, she feels a warmth come over her mind, like a comfy blanket. Simultaneously, the orbs pulse once. There is a sense of acknowledgement. Ruler meets Callidora, and vice versa.
Callidora says, "That's quite a feeling! Alright, you and me are going to go and have a chat."
Ruler turns quickly on "her" heels, and bounds a good 50 or 60 yards out, and dives under the water. The difference in poise between Verdant and Callidora's piloting is tremendous
Zeleny looks at Verdant. "Weren't we going to talk to it?"
Swimming along the bottom, Callidora relaxes, for what feels like the first time in.....forever, really.
Verdant says, "That's just it. We can't. It doesn't talk. It...just feels, and shares what it feels."
Calli "You havn't been home in a while either, have you?"
Verdant says, "Like when I first got in, I felt the feeling of wanting to get up, to run, to swim... When we hit the water, it was this euphoric feeling of being home and being back doing what you love doing all at once..."
Callidora feels acknowledgement - this is home, now. And sadness, some. She thinks of her last home, the water court. Neira, the water falls, the glass walls...so different than the filthy ship and the filthy sailors. Her fellow Exalts were nice, but they didn't know so much that she knew. She dwelled on this a bit, musing out loud - honestly thinking it, but also hoping for a response. Doublethink was a skill she had learned long ago.
Callidora's loneliness seems to echo out into the frame of the warstrider, and echoes back, a thousand times stronger - but brief, the briefest flash of emotion, and then everything is as it was beneath the waves.
As Zeleny and Verdant discuss their newest - acquisition? Friend? Comrade? - the Ruler of Cerulean Seas arcs through the air in the distance, framed in starlight, a beautiful symmetry of man and fish. The beastmen sleep in their homes, all but a few unaware that the last remnant of their Great Father is leaving them to pursue a new existence. And the Solars themselves can finally rest this evening - Irisa returned, deathknights rebuffed, and Ruler liberated. It has been a good day.
END CHAPTER 14