OOC Note: Though the ship has set sail, please remember you can still join in on other characters! Be creative and find your way in to play with us! Perhaps your character is a stowaway or maybe they are witness to the other things going on around Aleris. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing where this goes...

Zaur felt something that seemed to scream danger. However, it was slippery and escaped before the therianthrope could pin it down with a web of quickly weaved power. Trapping was a useful skill for a being trained to enforce the laws of a civilization full of mystically gifted criminals. Unfortunately, his first attempt at such a complex imprisoning spell outside the practice hall was an utter failure.

Do humans taste as good as they smell? That stray thought caused the lizard shifter to get a far off look in his hazel eyes. He never viewed himself as a devourer of creatures with a similar level of intelligence as his own. However, for a moment a desire to taste the flesh of the people that cowered on board the Jade Phoenix robbed Zaur of rational thought. Instinct was important, but something as old as his race stirred that disturbed the shifter greatly. After a few seconds, reason returned with the taste of hot blood on his tongue. It appeared he had unconsciously bit it.

Zaur took several deep breaths and made sure he was composed before speaking to Cross again. He voice was very neutral as he spoke up. "Captain Lawrence Cross I am here to stay. I will sign whatever you need. However, I must settle a few things before leaving. I will return within the hour." After accepting the necessary procedures that followed the reporter left the ship. Perhaps he was hurrying too much, but the smell of terror was still messing with his thoughts.

The therianthrope found a side alley that kept the scent of the docks from him and closed his eyes. He knew the pupils were no longer what humans called normal. He only hoped he didn't add to the fear on that boat. No one with sense could mistake that predatory lizard's gaze in his opinion. The shifter knew that his race once chose savagery over reason. Eventually, they realized there were much bigger threats in the world than them. Choosing to use their minds saved them from natural selection wiping them out. Until now Zaur had believed he was beyond the ancient bloodthirsty impulses. It seems he was still naive in some ways.

After a few minutes he was confident his eyes had returned to normal, so he set out for his workplace. Zaur arrived at the chronicle before he realized it. The door was open so the young Magus walked in and called for anyone that might be in. He had to let Reed Feral know of his intentions before he could leave Grand City.

"I know what you are..I'm no fool. I've read books! You think I don't know..but I do."

Pale lips, crusted slightly with dried blood curled into a gentle grin beneneath the thick wool cowl. Standing behind the man who steered the merchant ship the hooded figure raised his head enough to let his already raspy and hard to hear voice go unhindered. "Oh? Then you're very informed. Please tell me, what am I?"

"You got different names in the stories. Some call you..damn what was it..devil? The devil. And uhh..Hadey. Hatees..."

"Hades. Keeper of the dead."

The captain nodded, keeping his eyes on the ocean ahead but glancing over his shoulder occassionally to make sure the hunched man hadn't come closer. "Yeah, him! There's others..but they all mean the same thing. You're evil..an evil from the other side that plans on taking us all back with you, back to whatever pit you come from. We won't let you. Sooner or later..someone is gonna...they're gonna send you back. We've dealt with evil before and we're still here!"

The thump of the walking stick against the deck let the captain hear the man come closer, and he tensed only to watch his captor stop a step or 2 infront of him. Slowly letting out the breath caught in his chest the captain relaxed somewhat. At least now he had sight of the bastard. The hood turned left to right, milky white eyes scanning from beneath it across the ocean despite not seeing very much.

"I am many things...but I assure you none of them are evil. Evil is..a perspective. Lucifer, Seth, Chernobog, the people where I originate from called her Thiursia. The nature they all share...is that they desire your failure. Fail your world, fail your kind, fail yourself, that is their need. I do not want you to fail. I want you to rise above. To succeed. To win." The captain raised a brow as he took his eyes off the ocean which was clear all the way to the horizon. Then, staring at the back of the cowl he scoffed but said nothing. The sickly man coughed inside his hood before speaking in that wheezed, haunting voice of his. "I can see why you would doubt. All this death, all this pain, myself the cause..how could I not wish to ruin your world? Nodding softly the old man took another step forward. The truth is I ruin nothing. I strain the worth from the worthless. I draw out the best of you while shaking free those who hold you back. All of you moving about, so caught in your own individual places that you ignore the person standing next to you. Only if they effect you personally do you even notice them. Only when they are in peril."

The walking stick was rested against the hunched mans shoulder as he brought up his left hand and pulled back the hood. Seeing the back of his head the captain's eyes focused more curiously. There were patches of dark brown hair, no wrinkles or features that an elderly man would possess. Malformations in the skin, areas that looked scarred or misshapen, but nothing to denote increased age. Then the figure turned his head, revealing a good amount of his left profile, presenting a single cloudy eye, flesh of a most sallow and sunken nature, and lips with old blood at their corners. Without those details the pale eyed man looked no older than in his 3rd or 4th decade. The captain was surprised, but was even more so when the figure spoke again.

"With all your progress, all your comforts, you alienate yourselves. You only work together when your survival is at risk. I did not create that truth...you did. You all did. When a people become so many, so complacent, then the need to act as one is lost to the wants of one. The world..the universe..it has no need for self-indulgence of that level. It is my task to test if that self-indulgence has run too deep, if your complacency has put you beyond redemption. Tell me, in the last war..did you fight with your people? Did you fight to save your world?" So caught in what he saw the captain didn't answer immediately. When the old man spoke and his lips parted there was a glimmer inside, a gleam from the teeth. It took several moments for the man steering the vessel to realize they were metallic. Each tooth inside was silver in color and pointed, honed to lethal tips. It took the direct stare of those cloudy eyes for the captain to regain himself.

"Wh..fight? No. I am not a damned soldier. I catch fish, I sell them at market! What do I know about fighting in a war? I'd be dead before I even knew what I was fighting for." Turning completely towards the fisherman, the smaller man seemed confused, tilting his head slightly. Obviously the captain became slightly unsettled but didn't speak another word. "Yet here you are, following my command to steer this ship to an uncertain destination because...why? Your life could be as much at risk now as during the war, but now it seems the reason for it does not matter." On the defense the fisherman responded excitedly. "If I said no you would have killed me! Or turned me into one of those..those things! What was I supposed to do?!" Raising a brow of his own, the nearly blind figure looked even more puzzled.

"Those who your people fought..the gods, the creatures..they would not have killed you? Do you think you would have been safe simply because you chose not to fight in a battle you didn't understand? You are not a soldier as you said, but you also speak as if you want to keep yourself alive. So..which is it? Would you have laid down and let them end your life because you were not a warrior? Or would you have fought them even though you did not know why, to preserve your own life?"

"I would have fought them! I wouldn't just let myself be killed. I'm not daft!"

"Then why didn't you? Did you not think your world worth saving? Or is it because you would rather have others fight for you? Others to risk their own lives in place of yours while you hid with your days catch. What kept you from helping your people?"

"Because! Because I...I was afraid! Is that what you want to hear you son of a bitch?! I was afraid! I'm AFRAID to DIE!!" The captain shouted, his frustration temporarily outweighing his fear. The deathly looking passenger seemed to gauge the response for a moment before turning his back to the man and again raising his hood over his head. "Afraid to die..afraid of the unknown...how can there be a life to lose when it's so buried in fear?"

There was silence for a time. Only the breeze and churning water could be heard as they met against the ship. After quite a while the captain spoke in a reserved tone. "Where are we going?" Brahngier didn't turn to regard the man, he offered only his back and a cold, hushed response. "We should be in position shortly. Stay on this course."


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The ship had been one of the many left unmanned at the Lapis Cove docks. It was a good size vessel but not so large as to need more than a single man to pilot it. The fishmonger who acted as its captain had been found hiding in a small shack just passed the longest wharf. He most likely would have ended up like so many on the island, infected and on the prowl had it not been for the information relayed by the sea-dwellers. They had used maps and gestures to inform Brahngier that a ship had made way for Lapis Cove.

It was wonderful news that their mild encounter with the massive sea beast had not kept the crew from embarking on their voyage. The creature had only been sent to gain information. It had been told what this strange man offered, that he was reclaiming the lands and assisting the ocean people. Despite its vicious nature the Tide King held a connection to those same sea-beings, and though following the word of an outsider was not something the creature took to doing naturally, it did as it was told for the good of those who had guarded it for so long. It was instructed to make itself known but not to cause destruction, at least not at this time.

Obeying the order, it had partially revealed itself to the Jade Phoenix then returned to the sea to wait for its next instruction. Now that he knew the first responders were on their way, Brahngier was sure that finding a port of entry would be difficult for them. He would make it easier for the crew to gain entrance. Since they knew next to nothing about what transpired and absolutely nothing about him, he decided to place himself more directly into matters. To do that he would need to find a means of getting close, and that was surprisingly simple.

He told the fisherman to raise the sails and drop anchor. Once the ship was finally still, Brangier looked over its rail and spoke with something or someone the captain did not see, commanding that the rudder be disabled. Shortly thereafter the ship jerked roughly and then all was quiet once more. The fisherman had many fears and moved about his tasks frantically. With every second he was planning his escape, searching for something to use as a weapon. There was also the matter of where he should go once he had control of the ship. The plan seemed simple enough; take a harpoon and run the hooded man through, then cast him over the side before any of that plagued blood infected him. So very simple. He didn't need a rudder to ride the current, a strong head-wind would do just fine.

The plan got as far as finding the weapon and running his kidnapper through. The harpoon pierced with ease, thrust through the back and exploding free from the front. Blood spilled and Brahngier fell (strangely without making a sound). When the captain moved to wrap the body in canvas he turned it over with his foot. The last images he saw were bloody metallic teeth, a set of frightening eyes much more fierce than pale, and a powerful hand lunging up to his neck.

That was when the darkness came.


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A merchant vessel sat within the still water, surrounded by pillars of black smoke raising high into the air. Burning sails coated in pitch and tied around cargo boxes bobbing in the water made for quite the signal. It was a beacon that any vessel approaching Lapis Cove could spot, and since those coming would be doing so for information, what better place to start than a crippled vessel who might have actually been there?

Sitting on one of the remaining cargo boxes and holding his walking stick in hand the hunched man waited, humming softly to himself as he focused on the horizon and awaited the coming ship. In the midst of the soft tune he turned to look at the lifeless body slumped over on the box beside him. The fisherman's throat was torn leaving a partial esophagus hanging loosely from the wound. Whatever the mans face had looked like was now unable to be recognized. It resembled what floated inside one of the chum pails nearby. By that time the corpse had bleeding and was now cold, rigid, and congealing. A fly buzzed from the empty right eye socket and Brahngier spoke softly while the insect fluttered about.

"Do you see now? he said, as the fly moved inside his hood and he felt it land upon the corner of his mouth, feasting on the dead blood that crusted. Nothing to be afraid of, is there?"

The tension aboard the Jade Phoenix was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Or a dagger. Or several daggers. Or several daggers, a couple of lethal looking swords and whatever else the hostile chick with a major chip on her shoulder had hidden upon her. Rahne aka Brock Steelcod (heh) had waited with baited breath to see what would kill Captain Cross first: the whateverthehell it was beneath the waters or whateverhernamewas with the fiery golden eyes.

Rahne was sure that the moment Cross gave ‘chip on her shoulder’ a major chewing out (again), that said ‘chip’ was going to tear his head off and use his guts for chum. What was up with this chick anyway? Didn’t she understand the concept of teamwork? So Rahne waited...and waited. And she watched Zaur and Mir and the father/son team, and creepy weird guys who were also part of the crew….and nothing happened.

Sour girl stared at the captain for a few moments before letting out a breath that she had obviously been holding (though Rahne doubted it was in trepidation of Cross) before turning her back on everyone on board to gaze once more at the sea. To say Rahne was slightly disappointed no blows would come to pass was an understatement. As it was, she had her money bet on Cross. The woman seemed tough enough, but Rahne held strong that Cross could hold his own, and if need be, wipe the fishgut smeared floor with Miss Bossypants.

Cross declared they would finally set sail (which Rahne noted was exactly what the woman had demanded they do in the first place), and began giving orders to his crew. Rahne glanced at Zaur and noted he seemed a bit off (maybe he had to do a pre-sail tinkle? Nerves of steel her ass!), and quickly left the ship, promising to return within the hour before off they went into the vast blue ocean wonder.

Rahne was about to make small talk with Mir, but he had wandered off in the direction of Cross, which left the teenager pretty much alone with the woman who was busying herself with her weapons belt. Rahne watched with curiosity as Whateverhernamewas inspecting one blade after another before moving on to the pistol that the young girl had missed before. Propping herself against the ship’s rail, Rahne noted the woman slip on a pair of gloves before opening a small leather satchel that contained bullets. Her brow furrowed for a moment before Rahne put two and two together and asked, “Those silver?”

Whateverhernamewas didn’t lift her gaze from her task as she uttered a terse, “Yes.”

“Can’t touch silver?” Rahne continued on, figuring playing twenty questions with the woman was better than just standing around with her non-existent pecker in her hand.

“No,” was the one worded reply before, satisfied with her work, the woman slid the weapon back into its holster. Gloves and satchel were put away then out came the swords. This time the woman did meet Rahne’s eyes briefly before whipping out a cloth out of seemingly nowhere to clean and polish the steel. Though her eyes went wide for a moment, Rahne shot out question after question, unfazed as words fired out at breakneck speed.

“You’re a lycan then? Or therianthrope? Neat! What kind? And what’s your name? And why are you such a nasty bitch to the captain? You know if he wanted to he could boot your ass off the Phoenix, right? If you disagree with his policies why show up to begin with? Is that sword sharp? It looks sharp. I don’t like swords. I happen to be a master at the Bo st--”

Rahne’s babbling was cut off as the woman leveled the sword’s blade just an inch from her nose, her eyes narrowed. The girl could have sworn the woman growled at her even as she answered the girl’s questions.

“Therianthrope. I am not a nasty bitch,” The woman’s lips curled some as she tilted her head to the side, considering her reply. “Not always. As for questioning Cross, why not? Perhaps you should as well.” The woman lowered her sword then, “It’s sharp enough.”

Rahne chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment as she considered the woman’s rather evasive response. “So...what’s your name?”

The woman resumed polishing her weapon, pausing a second or so before murmuring, “D.”

Rahne’s eyes rolled and she snorted. “Oh please. ‘D’? That’s the best you could come up with? A freaking letter?”

“Ok...Brock,” Deanna’s smirk was fully in place as she eyed the girl. “You’re one to talk. You really think you’re fooling anyone here, little girl? ” Rahne’s cheeks reddened, her pride stung. Truly the girl had believed her disguise to be foolproof, and as for her awesome boy name...well, Rahne had been rather pleased with coming up with the alias of Brock Steelcod. Trust this bitchy woman to bring down her thunder.

“Whatever,” was Rahne’s witty reply before the girl turned to peer at the docks where Zaur was steadily making his return. Once everyone was on board, the ship was untied, anchor lifted and sails hoisted as the ship began to shift in the water. Hopefully they’d have smooth sailing toward Lapis Cove.

Rahne felt a little apprehensive as the Phoenix sailed far out of sight of the Harbor. It wasn’t so much the idea of sailing to Lapis Cove that brought on a bad case of nerves, but the idea of that sea thingie following them across the waters. She was scanning the waters with violet hued eyes, when she felt a hand on her shoulder and let out a yelp.

The woman, oh sorry...D (snicker), arched a brow at her and resisted the urge to sigh as she stared at the girl. “Exactly what weapon do you claim to be a master of?” Rahne could see the doubt in the woman’s eyes, and knew she was debating whether or not the young girl would survive the mission at all. Rahne would prove her wrong. She would prove all of them wrong. Not only would she make it to Lapis Cove and back home, she would return to Reid Feral with the greatest story ever. Her boss would have no choice but to promote her to lead reporter after reading her masterpiece.

“Bo staff,” Rahne stated proudly, but when the woman eyed the girl and then peered with great exaggeration around Rahne’s scrawny frame, the teenager shuffled and murmured sheepishly. “I uh, left it home.”

The woman didn’t bother hiding the incredulous look in her eyes as she turned away and walked off, shaking her head. Rahne shrugged off the embarrassment and went back to scanning the waters when the enigmatic D came back with a mop in hand. This time Rahne’s brows went up as she questioned the woman’s motives.

“Seriously? You want me to mop the deck? Dude, you’re not the boss here, you know. Captain Cross is and until he--, oh...oh, yeah that makes sense. Duh.” Rahne felt like the world’s biggest goober as the woman (who seemed to have an ever present scowl on her features) began to unscrew the mop head before thrusting the wooden staff in the girl’s hands.

“You're really quite the idiot. Try not to die on this mission, kid. I’m sure someone will miss you. Maybe.” Was all D said before grabbing her bag, leaving Rahne to her makeshift Bo staff and her thoughts.

Perhaps D was right. Perhaps she made a huge mistake coming on this excursion. Perhaps she was in way over her head. Rahne swung the staff around a bit, feeling more confident with each swing.

Lapis Cove and all its scariness. To hell with it! Rahne was on her way and gods be damned if she wasn’t going to get the biggest story of her lifetime! Rahne thrust the mop-staff in the air and proclaimed loudly...

“Never will I scrub another toilet again!” While the rest of the crew snickered at Rahne’s idiotic outburst, the beaming teenager, who at this point had ignored the rest of her crewmates, finally stopped prancing around deck as something caught her eye out in the distance of the cerulean waters. Rousing her best Brock voice, Rahne pointed her makeshift staff in a particular direction.

“Um...guys? What’s that?”

Things were not boding well for the crew of the Jade Phoenix, yet somehow they managed to finally set sail under the direction of Lawrence Cross. For the umpteenth time Deanna wondered why she had even set foot on the doomed vessel, and for the umpteenth time she came up empty handed. Visions of grandeur and greed had absolutely nothing to do her reasons why, but still for the life of her, she came up with no true plausible reason for having any desire to set foot upon Lapis Cove.

Then there was the sea creature’s puzzling arrival and her face off with Cross to contend with. The so called Captain seemed to believe Deanna had it in mind to take charge of this expedition, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The simple fact was that the entire excursion sounded extremely sketchy, and all Deanna wanted was honesty from the man. She would have had more respect for him, but Cross (or whoever he was) was keeping mum. Deanna felt they were destined to butt heads for the remainder of the journey, or kill each other, unless one backed down.

For the first time in her life, Deanna chose to step away from a battle.

Truth be told, she could have put up a fight and quite possibly won it, but she didn’t have it in her. The two of them, both strong minded individuals, would go round and round until someone caved and most likely got hurt, for what...truth? Deanna could and would be patient. The truth of the mission would reveal itself in time, and honestly even with the lack of information, Deanna wouldn’t have bid Cross and crew a fond farewell to continue on her own personal journey. No, she was compelled to stay for reasons that went beyond her own comprehension.

The little Akilara fetus seemed to agree with her choice and wriggled under the snug clothing, causing Deanna to smile just a tad as she set about examining her weapons which she had hoped to do in peace and quiet. The girl who pretended she was a boy...Brock (what an idiotic name), had chosen that moment to latch onto Deanna just to purposely annoy her with her mindless chatter.

A dull throb was beginning to build behind Deanna’s eyes and finally she couldn’t take it any longer. As she raised her sword to the girl, some part of her relished the idea of cleaving the child’s most irritating tongue from her mouth, but she had succeeded in frightening the girl just enough to keep the banter to a minimum...sort of.

The girl was a nosy thing, that was for sure.and honestly Deanna couldn’t figure the kid out. Brock the crossdresser, was the absolute last person who should even be aboard the Phoenix. The kid did not appear to be a greedy individual, well, at least not for monetary riches. She was perhaps 100 pounds if you soaked her in water, scrawny and without any true muscle tone that Deanna could discern. Though she had the look of someone who had some semblance of street smarts, the girl definitely did not have the look of anyone who could harm a fly, much less defend herself in dangerous situations. Deanna doubted she even carried a weapon on her, or even knew had to use one.

After a few excruciating minutes of chatter Deanna had given her whatever identity came to mind, which sadly wasn’t something clever, just enough to shut the kid up, and a few other tidbits that would satisfy the girl’s curiosity. Oddly enough, the girl only brought upon Deanna’s own inquisitiveness.

After a fashion they sailed and Deanna was pleased by this fact, though she kept silent for Cross’ sake. Rahne and the other’s were not the only ones scanning the waters for signs of trouble, and despite the fact that there was zero sign of the leviathan from below and the waters were calm, they did nothing to alleviate the uneasy sensation in the pit of Deanna’s stomach that had nothing to do with the tiny demonic spawn she carried.

Deanna did not feel sorry for Brock who seemed utterly out of place on the Phoenix mission, but that didn’t mean she wanted the kid to meet imminent demise because of the foolish child’s lack of foresight. So Deanna, or D as she was oh so cleverly (yeah right) calling herself, took it upon herself to question the girl about her experience with weapons. Brock boasted vast knowledge of the bo staff, to which Deanna inwardly smiled. Brock was such a tiny thing and the bo was, despite its simplicity, a formidable weapon several inches taller than the girl and required both hands to wield properly. So where exactly was this weapon of doom that the girl handled with such expertise?

Not. Fucking. Here.

Was this child an utter moron that she chose to partake in a voyage to dangerous place with strangers she would have to rely on for protection without a fucking weapon? What was she going to do if they met up with enemy forces there, talk them to death? Bore them into a coma?

The child should have considered herself fortunate that Deanna didn’t toss her ass overboard as she stormed off, her eyes scouring the surrounding area of the ship until she found what she deemed suitable enough for Brock to use. The mop was made of oak, sturdy oak, and appeared unblemished which was a good thing. Mop in hand, Deanna made her way back to Rahne and, stupidly, believed the child would comprehend.

She was wrong...obviously.

It took great patience on Deanna’s part to set her foot firmly upon the damp ball of thick string and slowly unscrew the wooden pole before Brock finally put two and two together. Deanna’s eyes bore into the girl’s own as she scowled at the kid and considered, albeit briefly, beating the kid upside the head with the staff. Instead she threw out a few words that expressed her opinion on the girl and her fate before snatching her bag in hand to move toward the bow of the Phoenix where Cross was located. Setting her bag down near her feet, Deanna stood silently beside the captain, scanning the open waters with him (and promptly ignoring the fist pumping and failed attempt at dancing by the half-wit Brock) when she too noticed something out in the far distance that was verbally confirmed by Brock.

Deanna slid Cross a sideways glance and wondered if Cross saw the faint plumes of dark smoke that would grow in size the closer they sailed. She would not point it out. Would not suggest they take a closer look. Oh no. Wouldn’t want to get his delicate undies in a twist over who was boss here.

Deanna casually leaned against the railing and examined her cuticles, waiting for their fearless leader to...well, lead.

And so they were off, much sooner than Lawrence had expected, but he had prepared in case a sudden departure from Hinewai Harbor (such as the one they were facing now) took place. Supplies were well stocked, maps were charted and they were ready to go. Some precautions were being taken; whatever it was that hit the bottom of the ship had left a hard impact, but there was no damage to be seen inside or outside the Jade Phoenix. A warning no doubt.

Before they set sail and left Grand City behind them, Zaur as far as Lawrence could tell, was the only one who needed to tie up loose ends. Zaur promised to return within the hour and Lawrence hoped to see the therianthrope again. There were about ten or so crew members, plus the group of "mercenaries" that had come on board. Lawrence was not sure how much he could count on "Brock" to help out since the lad weighed about eighty pounds soaking wet. Woman With The Temper would be trouble, though he silently prayed to the gods that she would give her attitude a rest now that they were at sea. Mir seemed to be anxious enough, though the man mostly kept to himself and lurked in the shadows. Suffice to say, Lawrence was pleased to see that Zaur had kept his promise and returned.

As Zaur came back on board, Lawrence set to one last task. He sent for a messenger, a young boy about fourteen, and had him deliver a rolled piece of parchment to King Elias. There was no seal to protect the paper - nothing that would give away that it was an official document. It merely stated that the Jade Phoenix had departed from Hinewai Harbor. If the letter was lost somehow, Lawrence supposed it didn't matter since King Elias would likely see the ship leaving from one of his watch towers anyway.

Manning the vessel from the harbor, Lawrence noticed that eventually Woman With The Temper had come towards his way at the bow of the ship. Lawrence held his breath, fully ready to argue with her again. However, it was someone else who Lawrence heard next. They were barely away from Grand City, maybe about an hour or so, when Brock shouted over the crew, letting his voice carry across the deck.

Far into the distance were plumes of thick, black smoke spiraling into the sky. The sun was beginning to set, but the smoke was still visible as it attempted to climb as far as it could. Lawrence reached to his side and picked up a small telescope about a foot in length and placed it to his eye. There was no question in his mind; it was coming from Lapis Cove. Lawrence knew the way to the cove; the smoke just now made it easier. Someone had made it easier.

Lawrence's jaw set hard as he lowered the telescope and thought for the briefest of moments before speaking. It could have been a distress signal, but Lawrence was skeptical. Lapis Cove wasn't exactly the place one would call for help. Perhaps the entire island was burning down and would be reduced to cinders before they got there.

"We sail towards that smoke," Lawrence said, his voice loud and clear over the ocean wind so that any on deck could hear him. "It will take us about a week or two to get there - to get to Lapis Cove. When we get closer to the smoke, we will drop anchor and take another look before even thinking to dock near there."

The crew nodded their understanding. Lawrence was not about to chance falling into a trap so close to the cove. Getting on the island was the most important part of the journey after all.

Wish stood at the edge of Hinewai Harbor listening to the sounds of merchants and sailors tending to a busy port. She breathed in the salt of the ocean air and then let out a sigh, opening olive hued eyes to look at the horizon as the sun made its way down the sky. Her thoughts were on Madrin and their last meeting. She had left the castle without being able to admit to him her true feelings - those little flutterings in her stomach she couldn't even tell herself. For a moment as she stood at the harbor, she felt her heart beat with nervousness. Perhaps it was because she had departed giving him an unclear notion and that as a result, he would give up on her. He was, after all, the Lord Commander of Eiler and Wish was sure there was a line of women waiting to fling themselves at him for the sake of being close to such a high ranking position in the kingdom.

Despite her thoughts, she smiled briefly as a bit of the descending autumn sun warmed her cheeks. That smile, however, quickly vanished and was replaced with an open-mouthed look of surprise. Something had caught her eye. Or rather some one on one of the ships that was leaving the harbor. Even from her vantage point, Wish could not mistake that head of auburn hair and those golden colored eyes. It was Deanna, but what was she even doing in Eiler on a ship and not near Chaliceton?

A million guesses raced through her mind, but none of them could be answered without speaking directly to Deanna who was presently on a ship. Wish wasn't entirely sure how she should have reacted, so she turned from the ship and with a bit of haste, found the nearest sailor to her. She grabbed the man by the sleeve of his shirt and the man had to steady his grip on the wooden create he was carrying.

"Sir, where does this ship sail to, the Jade Phoenix?" Wish nodded over her shoulder in the direction of the boat.

"That ship be makin' way to Lapis Cove," the man answered with a visible shudder. "Some expedition led by a man named Captain Lawrence Cross. A fool if ya ask me. He said he's going to be payin' 'em lots of gold, but I don't think it'd ever be enough. That place is cursed and running around with the vilest of people."

Wish lifted her fingers to her lips and placed them there as pondered over what to do. Why would Deanna be going to such a dangerous place and risking the life of her and Verial's unborn child? Unless something had happened to Verial causing Deanna to flee. But surely a newsworthy item such as something happening to the Lord of Arthuran would have surely been reported in The Chronicle. She had so many questions and her answers were leaving on a ship sailing to Lapis Cove. Well, she would just have to chase them down.

By the time she lifted her head however, she realized the ship had gotten a good distance away. Just how long had she been lost inside her head? Her hand finally dropped from her lips and she nodded to the sailor. "Thanks for your help. Much appreciated."

With that, she turned and ran back towards the ship. At the edge of the harbor, she lifted her wings and flew to follow the ship. How the ship had gotten that far from the harbor while she was speaking to the sailor was beyond her. She flew fast to catch up to it, the cold ocean air beneath her wings. After a time, she caught up to the ship and chose to land rather gracefully on the bow of the ship where Deanna was standing as well as this Captain Lawrence Cross. This was right after Lawrence had stated to the crew that they were heading towards some black smoke in the distance, which was the least of Wish's concerns – for now.

"Captain Lawrence Cross?" Wish said turning her eyes to the man after he had finished speaking. Although she had landed with as much grace and fluidity as she could manage, Lawrence looked a bit startled at having a fae drop out of the sky and onto his ship. Nevertheless, he gave her a nod to confirm that was his name. "My apologies for being late. I am here to join your crew on this expedition to Lapis Cove. You may find having Aurora's Paladin on board to be of some use."

Instinctively, her fingers went to her neck where she wore a necklace that held a tree amulet made of different colored small green stones. Her fingertips glided over the smoothness of it for a moment as if showing Lawrence proof to her position in Eiler. With that, Wish turned her eyes from Lawrence to Deanna. She held her friend's gaze for just a short while to let Deanna know that she had some explaining to do. Wish was smart enough to figure out that Deanna was still in hiding, so she said nothing. When Wish was sure the message had been relayed through the tension in the air, she left Lawrence and Deanna, crossing to the opposite side of the ship before either could say a word to her.

Cross had made his decision to sail toward the plumes of dark smoke, wisely but warily. Deanna understood his apprehension and frankly she couldn’t blame him. Still the shifter didn’t utter a comment, merely grunted her acknowledgment and pushed away from the railing deciding that a hot cup of tea was in order. Of course that was when Wish Star chose to make her unexpected arrival upon the Phoenix, the fae woman seeming to appear from the sky out of nowhere to land gracefully near Cross...and Deanna.

She was rather taken aback to see Wish, amber orbs narrowing ever so slightly at the sight of the fae, but willed herself to appear calm if not curious as to the ‘newcomer’ on board’s rather unorthodox appearance.

Deanna folded her arms casually across her breasts as she watched with mild bemusement as Aurora’s Paladin introduced herself to Cross, issuing her apology for her tardiness as she volunteered her services on board the Phoenix. At this, Deanna arched a dark brow in disbelief, her lips pressed thinly together as finally Wish’s olive eyes met her own, and she internally groaned seeing ‘that look’ in Wish’s gaze. Damn it all to hell and back.

Deanna didn’t exactly rush over to where the fae sauntered off to. No, that would have been rather obvious that she was familiar with Wish, and though Deanna didn’t go out of her way to appear incognito, she preferred to keep her air of anonymity for as long as possible. After a sufficient enough amount of time had passed, she hefted her bag over her shoulder and prepared to make her way over to where Wish stood when she was intercepted by the incredibly annoying Brock who stood with booted feet planted firmly.

“What?” Deanna asked exasperated by the child.

“Captain said we are supposed to store our gear down below,” Brock jerked his/her chin toward Deanna’s leather satchel.

“Forget it. Bag stays with me. Move along kid,” Deanna attempted to push past the kid but Brock blocked her way, much to her irritation.

“Captain said we are supposed to keep a lookout for that sea thingie from the Harbor,” Brock said stubbornly as she held a tight grip on her makeshift staff.

“So go keep watch.”

“Captain said we’re supposed to team up,” Brock’s smirk slid from place as Deanna inched closer, lowering her head so that she was eye to eye with the girl. She stared at the girl for a beat or two before speaking, her voice dropping an octave.

“Get out of my way or I’ll shove that pole up your ass and use you for bait.”

Brock blinked rapidly and held her mop staff protectively to her chest as Deanna sidestepped around the teenager. “I’m not afraid of you!” She blurted out. Deanna snorted as she continued on her way to Wish. “Yes you are.”

Ignoring the protests from Brock, Deanna dropped her bag by her feet and glanced at the fae who was quietly watching terns circling above the water before diving for fish. A moment or so passed while Deanna rested her elbows on the railing. “So I’m guessing your gig with the spring goddess doesn’t pay well?” She smiled slightly at her own humor as she finally turned to face Wish once determining no one was close enough to hear their conversation. “Now I know damn well Verial didn’t send you to find me, Wish,” Deanna murmured matter-of-factly. Had Verial wished to locate Deanna, he would have done so himself. Nostrils flaring somewhat, Deanna did detect a male’s scent upon the fae, but it wasn’t from the Lord of Arthuran, which made it all the more interesting since the scent was familiar to her.

Deanna gave a gallic shrug. “Doesn’t matter how you found me. I’m rather glad to see you. Almost like old times, isn’t it?” She turned her attention back to the sea birds. “Actually you saved me the trouble of travelling to that nifty little island retreat you purchased, fae. My purpose for setting foot in Eiler again was to find you, really.” Deanna’s smile matched the soft tone of her voice. “I have an interesting...proposition for you, but now really isn’t the time to discuss it. As soon as we’ve finished with this...whatever this is...we can talk about it.” Deanna left it at that. The fae were a curious lot, and Wish was no different. The fact that Deanna sought Wish out for a reason would be enough to satisfy the Paladin until the timing was right to delve further into Deanna’s purpose.

Deanna heard a foot tap impatiently and with a great sigh, turned to spot Brock glaring at her a short distance away, indicating with her mop staff that Deanna was neglecting her ‘duties’. “Not sure if I like the kid or want to kill her...him...whatever,” she murmured. Deanna responded to Brock with a rude hand gesture, shaking her head as she looked at Wish, her gaze roaming over the fae before something caught her attention. It took her a moment to notice, but when she did, even Deanna couldn’t help the surprise that showed on her face. Amazingly enough, she wasn’t angry at Wish, more puzzled by the faint dark hue that flowed around the fae briefly before disappearing from Deanna’s sight. Even more so, she wondered if Wish was aware of the ‘mark’ that Deanna was personally accustomed to, left upon her.

A slow lazy smile appeared on Deanna’s lips and she cocked her head to the side. “Been slumming with Sharay recently, have you? Do I want to know why or should some questions remain a mystery, Wish?” No sooner had those words left Deanna’s lips did the gangly form of Brock come stomping over to where the two women stood, mop stick in hand as she glared hatefully at Deanna before turning to beam a smile at Wish, thrusting out her hand.

“Brock. Brock Steelcod. Welcome aboard the Jade Phoenix,” Brock gestured toward Deanna. “I’d steer clear of this one, miss. She’s about to get her fat ass kicked off the ship for failing to work with her crewmates!” Brock scowled at Deanna before flouncing off in a huff, leaving Deanna to seriously consider her earlier threat to the bratty kid as she rolled her eyes heavenward.

“Fuck my life.”

Zaur was surprised that editor Feral was nowhere to be found. However, the shifter did not have time to go looking for Reed. He wrote up a note to explain his intentions for the Lapis Cove expedition and left it on the editor's desk. The Magus had always viewed his role as a reporter to be going into dangerous situations and coming out with the story. However, he admitted to himself it might be more dangerous for the others on the Jade Phoenix if he went along. He did not like the dark desires that stirred in him while onboard. His resolve was shaken, but not broken so he returned as he had promised.

When the therianthrope returned to the ship he chose to remain silent. The sea was mercifully quiet for the time being. However, inside Zaur knew the flesh hungry impulse in him still hid beneath the surface. For his own sanity he decided to balance his aura as he was taught. Battle could often put strain on the reason his people clung to. He slipped into the meditative exercises he was taught at the guardian academy. These training techniques allowed a magus to center himself and balance the mystic energy within. Zaur's concern for the safety of the other crew members was directly responsible for his choice to keep his distance. The next time ancient cannibalistic tendencies took him he would be mentally prepared to resist. A guardians job was to protect others from the sinister forces of the world not be the threat.

Rahne's shout of alarm was the first outside influence to break his calm state since it started. He rose from his lotus sitting position and rapidly approached his fellow reporter to get a better look at what bothered her. The black smoke was an ominous sight, but it was far from the Phoenix unfortunately. Zaur was glad Captain Cross intended to check it out even though the smoke would likely have dissipated long before they got there.

Suddenly, the scent of a woman that buzzed with magic hit the lizard shifter's nose like a club. Goose bumps rose on his light brown skin as he turned to see a winged woman of slight stature landing on the deck. Zaur had never seen her personally before, but Aurora's Paladin Wish Star was unmistakable to someone that worked for the Chronicle as long as he had. Whatever, doubts he may have had about the point of this trip were washed away instantly. The fae woman had once worked as a professional fortuneteller. Could she have seen something terrible in the future? Regardless, the goddess of rebirth had chosen this woman to be her representative in Aleris, if she was here there must be a good reason.

He noted the female warrior that came aboard earlier approached the diviner. He turned to Rahne with a curious look and spoke quietly to his comrade. "We may have gotten caught up in a much more dangerous situation than I first believed. Brock, do you know who the female therianthrope that is speaking to Paladin Star is?"