The Skysail Treasure Co.

[SoHee]

OOC: Sorry for the wait Zran..

IC: From the tone in Amateira's voice Jade had a feeling that the promise meant everything to her. She sighed in defeat and looked Amateira straight into her eyes.

"Relax. Spare your strength," Jade said soothingly while stroking the top of Amateira's head when the girl seemed to grow agitated. "I promise that when the day comes and your spirit moves on, I will do what I can to follow your wishes," she said truthfully. "But I also promise that day is not today. You understand me?"

She could only hope that her last promise was not a lie. The wound was closed for now, but if they didn't get back to the ship where she could properly clean and sew it, it would become infected and start to fester. Amateira had lost a lot of blood and she doubted the girl was strong enough to fight off an aggressive infection and the fever that would most likely follow. However for it to come that far they first needed to survive this fight which was far from over.

<What is she doing?> she heard Jasper mumble to himself, and she followed his gaze to Sephara. He looked as if he wanted to draw closer, but he didn't. Instead he stood watching over them with his sword ready in his hands. It seemed as if the fight had moved away from them. It moved across the floor like a large wave, back and forth. At least for now we are safe, Jade thought and couldn't help but to feel releaved even if the same thought made her feel guilty. She knew very well that it meant that her shipmates and friends were the ones caught in battle instead of her. She felt a great gratitude towards them that grew stronger inside for each second. Without them she would have died long ago. She owed them her life.

<You would not even be here if it weren't for them> Jasper said, almost as if he had read her mind.

"Stop that," she said, too tired to argue with him. "Please, just stop."

Amateira gave her an odd look, but Jade merely gave her a faint smile in return.
"The bleeding has stopped now," she told her instead of giving her an explanation to what she just had said. "But you must be very still, so it will not open again."

All of a sudden a bright flash almost blinded her and she covered her eyes with her arm. When the light had faded away it seemed almost darker than before. The large chamber had grown silent and still. As soon as her eyes had adjusted to the dim light that remained she saw people moving here and there, hearing the soft words of first Cyradis and Arch, and then later the others. It brought hope to her heart. Was it finished? Did this mean they had survived? With more energy than she felt she stood up and quickly started to scan the room for injuries. Moving around she suddenly felt cold. The loss of her shirt had not bothered her before, but now when the adrenaline began to fade away her body seemed to react to the cold air against her naked skin.

Amateira was still her largest concern when she reached the Captain.

"I need to bring Amateira back to the ship as soon as possible," she told Gabe with more authority in her voice than she had ever belived she could muster. "She has suffered a great injury and it needs to be treated properly."

[Geco]

For a blinding instant, nothing made sense…

They been locked in their life and death struggle with the Death Knight for at least a quarter of an hour and exhaustion was beginning to set in. All around the circular perimeter they held their defences bravely, fending off magic, arrows, and all manners of blunt and sharp objects. But time would run out. If any one of them fell, they risked being overwhelmed in an instant before they had a chance to collapse the circle inward. If even one undead made it into the circle, they’d have their choice of exposed backs to fall upon. If Cyradis and Cailey faltered, even for an instant, the group would be exposed to a potentially fatal magical attack.

If…

When life looks at its end, on rare occasions, you could hear the heart beat of the earth as it turned. Time slowed. Each pulsing beat took on a new form and contained a new meaning. Actions, decisions, judgements long ago made suddenly reappeared in front of a person. Life’s cruelty was evident with the last seed of doubt it placed inside you.

Clinging to hope, he fought off the wave of emotion swelling inside him. Kyra now seemed to be the only person actively attacking Ptolemy while the rest of the crew held on for dear life, praying the storm would break soon. Every now and then Cyradis or Cailey would contribute with a magical offensive, but each was easily repelled in turn, and then it was the general’s turn to push back.

Thump.

He was surprised he even heard the noise, but the distinctive sound of a body hitting the floor distracted him, and he turned to see what had happened. At first he had thought they had lost one of the defenders on the circle, perhaps Aram or Tarra who he wasn’t entirely confident in their fighting abilities, but they’d taking strategic positions in between Kaltor, Steiner, and Drice for that very reason. What he saw affected him far worse.

Lying like a rag doll on the ground was Sephara. Without thinking Gabe sprinted to her side. He dropped his guns and held her head in his lap. “No! Seph, no! Talk to me. Say something. Say anything damnit!” Raw emotion overwhelmed him. It felt like everything he knew to be true in the world had evaporated like a pool of water in the middle of a desert.

“Everyone, collapse the circle! Back one step! Now!” Steiner’s commanding voice barely registered in his head as the crew followed orders. No one came to his side to help, it was far too dangerous for everyone.

And so he wept. Tears streaked lines down his dusty skin. He must have looked like one of those sad clowns you see at the fairs or festivals. “Please, don’t leave me Seph…”

As if in reply, Gabe felt a warm but shallow breathe of air escape onto his forearm. She wasn’t dead! Then what?

For a blinding instant, nothing made sense. Something had consumed the entirety of the chamber, filling it with raw energy and leaving his brain addled. When it retreated, Ptolemy was no longer standing, but was instead in a heap of bones. It must have been Kyra, he thought, she’d found a way to kill the bastard. He looked down expectantly, but there was no change in Sephara. No stir of life to be found.

A conflict forced itself to the forefront of his mind. For the first itme in his life, he did not want to be the Captain of the Requiem Dawn. He wanted nothing but to sit here with his friend, to carry her body away, to try to help her however he could. Actions, decisions, judgements…

Wiping the tears away and gently laying Sephara’s head down Gabe got back to his feet. Jade was already on her way over to examine their First Mate. All around him he saw relieved and excited faces. They’d done it. Here they stood, breathing, alive. They had vanquished the great general made stronger still from his death magic. They deserved to celebrate, but he felt only profound sadness. Was it selfish to want to grieve for his friend? But then she was not dead, not yet at least. Grief would have to wait.

“Good job everyone,” he could only managed a neutral monotone at this point, “Does anyone need Jade to look at them?” When there were no takers, he continued, “This is no ordinary feat we’ve accomplished today, but let’s hold off on a proper celebration to we actually get out of this cursed rat hole. Remember, we came here for the book, and we still need to find it before we can leave.”

"Oh right,” Steiner piped up, “I found the musty old book right as that sack of bones decided to wake up." The armored man picked as teeth with a sliver of wood, casually tossing a leather wrapped package to Gabe. "I imagine such events were related?"

Breaking the silence was the maniacal laughter of Kaltor Greycloak. Gabe had never wanted to kill the man more than he did now.

“I need to bring Amateira back to the ship as soon as possible," Jade told him now with a hard tone, "She has suffered a great injury and it needs to be treated properly." Who cares about the island girl!?! He wanted to scream with rage. Did none of them care about Sephara. His best friend looked like she was in a coma, and not a peep from anyone.

It took a moment, several in fact, to remember that they were all part of his crew. He was equally responsible for all. But the neglect they showed for Sephara would not be soon forgotten. There was nothing Godly about Gabe, but he felt as if the greatest sin ever had just been committed against him.

“Good job Steiner. And we’ll be leaving as soon as we figure out how.” He quickly set them all to work. He sent Aram and Steiner to scout for a way out in one group along with Drice and Cailey in another. The rest were left to finishing pilfering whatever they wanted from the tomb. Whenever a group came back they switched, giving the scouts a turn to line their own pockets.

Gabe stayed by Sephara’s side the entire time, where he was needed most. Twenty minutes later it was Cyradis who brought the good news.

“We’ve found a way back, it exits just before the cave in.”

[Shari Tana]

Nothing could have prepared Kyra for the fight she faced against Ptolemy. No amount of training could enable her to expect the sheer power and unrelenting tenacity of the deceased general. For the most part, neither of them gave ground. Aided by Cyradis, Kyra could parry Ptolemy's blows but only just. The mage had long since given up direct attacks and instead focused only on supporting Kyra. But even slowed, Ptolemy's strikes slid off Kyra's scimitar and sent vibrations along her whole arm. Bright flares spewed from the blade with each strike and counterattack, but nothing seemed to faze the death knight in the least.

Kyra's training did help her to maintain her endurance, however, those below her weren't trained for extensive combat - with the exception of a few - and would tire and fall. The endless swarm of undead seeped into the tomb from every angle, but fortunately, avoided the general and his quarry. Kyra did not doubt they would come after her should the others fall. Not even the power of Sarenrae would save her then. She would become cursed like all these here, and forever roam the tomb.

A brief pause in the melee came when Ptolemy decided to fire off a spell at those trying to hit him with ranged weapons. His response was to raise an impenetrable skin of hard bone armor around his now-desiccated flesh. Kyra took the opportunity to recite a short prayer to restore and invigorate herself and her allies. Grasping the icon to her chest, she recited the prayer in Qadiran. The icon flashed and bathed her allies in an aura of yellow-white light, while the undead shied away from the holy glow. The light shone for only a few seconds, but when it dissipated, Kyra could feel the strength returning to her arms and legs, and her mind becoming focused and clearer. With Ptolemy's armor complete and Kyra prayer said, the battle resumed. Kyra didn't know how long she'd been fighting, but the end was far more abrupt than the beginning.

Shortly after Archamae fired a salvo from her magitek weapon, rending three minor scratches on Kyra's left cheek, Arlen exposed a weakness in Ptolemy's armor and took aim. He shouted something from across the room, but the din of battle and Kyra's rapt attention on Ptolemy prevented the words from registering in her ears. The message was not lost on Cyradis, however, as Arlen fired the arrow and the archmage wrapped it in a swirling, purple-blue sheath. The speed of the mastercraft arrow tripled and and shattered through the bone armor and lodged in the general's chest. Reciting and incantation from behind Kyra, Cyradis' hands gripped her staff and thrust the crystalline head at the general. The enchanted arrow exploded in a violent vortex of the same purple-blue energy which enveloped it before. Ptolemy's magicite armor was disintegrated and he staggered back, his sword clattering to the ground. Kyra lunged forward and thrust her blazing icon into the death knight's chest.

A bright flash of light followed, blinding even Kyra as the holy symbol destroyed the corrupted undeath of the once-heroic general.

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As the groups dispersed to search for an exit, Cyradis found herself drawn back to the book which had captured her attention just before Gabe sent her to poke around the general's altar. She was completely mana-drained; the head of her staff not glowing even a tiny bit. It would take hours upon hours of meditation to recharge the staff and herself. She was still running on adrenaline, so the physical fatigue hadn't hit her yet, but she knew after nearly two days without sleep she would be in need of some major recuperation. She just hoped Gabe would find a nice, violence-free place to set the Dawn down so she, and everyone else, could rest.

Cyradis took a seat on a half-destroyed bench and pried open the cover of the tome. The pages were untarnished and the same archaic form of Kellan on the spine covered the pages along with various diagrams and drawings of power circles. Cyradis wanted to sit and read the tome here, but her lack of knowledge of archaic Kellan and her unyielding desire to be out of this tomb was enough to convince herself to resist this particular urge.

Kyra, however, seemed no worse for the wear. Between her prayer and excellent conditioning, she moved as if she'd just gotten here. She stood over Amateria whispering a prayer under her breath. Jade had done all she could, and there remained little else Kyra could do. Grave injuries were beyond her scope of healing, though she could help to ease the pain and slow the bleeding. Next she moved to where Gabe sat holding Sephara. Kneeling next to the captain, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. Brushing the tall woman's forehead, Kyra shook her own head and stood. Whatever afflicted the woman, it wasn't a curse or physical ailment.

Some time later, Aram and Steiner returned bearing news of and exit passage. Once Drice and Cailey rejoined them, the group started off with Sephara and Amateria laid across makeshift stretchers.

[Drice]

The room was went eerily quiet as the once great general exploded into a cloud of dust and bones. As he wiped his blades clean on the torn scrapes of the final undead he had dispatched he understood immediately that the creatures had not fallen easily. Several of the crew carried wounds, including two that were down and not moving. By the looks and concern on the others they were not dead. At least not yet. Sheathing the twin blades he took a step before the silence was broken by an unlikely source. Cailey kneeled on the floor caught in a wave of giggling madness as the overwhelming emotions of battle finally overtook the girl.

He couldn't help adding a grin of his own as he made his way to the girl. Dirt and grim covered her once spotless face. Her newest cloak was tattered with tears and spots of blood but she seemed healthy. He nodded to her casting a cold eye to anyone who thought to belittle the girl. Coming into this dark place had been good for her. He had seen her mature and grow exponetially. Before she would have faltered never would he have believed she would stand at the center of a battle line and hold her own. Although it was not the life he had wished for her he couldn't help feel pride as he looked down upon her.

"I didn't break." she whispered to him in answer to his unspoken thoughts. He gave her a moment to allow the whirlwind of emotions that accompanied any battle when forced to cross the line between life and death. She nodded and took his outstretched hand and glided graceful to her feet. "I have never been this tired. Is this how it always feels?"

He answered with a shrug and as she tucked in next to him he hear the captain start issueing orders. Considering that they had wandered the tunnels successfully before they were a good choice to begin scouting a way out. As they maneuvered down one of the great halls Cailey opened up. "I was terrified. At first the fear strangled me...I couldn't breath." Drice continued walking allowing her to work out what was on her mind. "But then I saw everyone rush to fight, and the island girl go down. I thought about Cyradis and you. I knew you would fight to get to me and I wanted to do my part. I just didn't want anyone to get hurt. I was so angry..."

"Anger helps." Drice whispered as they kept moving. "But don't let it hold you hostage like the fear. To much of either is deadly but the right combination is deadly for your enemies. You felt the bonds that you've built. Its to good to have those."

"You only have me. Why?"

"Somethings cant be helped little one."

Cailey shook her head offering him a fearful look. "You scared me."

He stopped. "I scare alot of people."

She chewed her lip in thought as she considered what to say. "When we came to this place you talked to yourself. I thought you mad. But you knew when those things came. I know you brother, you have no magic. So how did you know?"

He laughed. How do you explain the madness of voices in your head? Or the fact that sometimes they were right? "I don't know...but when I do you will be the first to know." He stopped as they rounded a turn to find a dead end. "Come lets go back maybe the others found a way out."

"I love you." Cailey whispered.

He stopped and hugged her. "I love you too little one." He paused. "I will always be here for you." as they continued on towards the group he realized more then ever he needed to talk to Cyradis...

[Jolly Rensha]

Arlen woke up not far from Archamae. An amazing thing considering the last thing he remembered was loosing an arrow. He shifted and stopped with a groan. "I'm getting old," he wheezed. "It's official now... urgh..." He had scrapes from the grating on his arms, and a mana-burn across his face, resembling an uneven sunburn. Finally, he shifted enough to roll onto his back and breathe more freely. His vision was blurry at first, and had noticed that his nose had bled out. His near-constant headache was a long-forgotten dream to what pounded now, but at least he was alive.

Sitting up, he flexed his torso and cracked his neck with relief. It was over. Mostly. They still had to get out of the place, but at least it hadn't crumbled around them. Many others had awoken much sooner than he, or hadn't been as affected due to proximity. He was filled in by Cyradis on what had happened as they sat, both drained and fatigued by the altar. Looking over at Amateira and then also to Sephara, his heart went out to the girls. Nothing he could do to help either of them right now. Standing, he limped over regardless. Gabe was ever at Sephara's side, but especially now.

Standing beside the kneeling captain, he looked at Sephara and Gabe respectively before nodding and turning. "She'll pull through Captain. Sephara doesn't know how to fail." With those simple words, Arlen walked slowly away to join the others in looking for treasures among the treasures. First and foremost, though, he walked back up to where the General had fallen and stared for many moments at Zantetsuken before leaning over to pick it up. Reaching out, his fingers stopped just short of it. Closing his hand and rubbing his fingers for a moment, his thoughts began folding upon themselves, trying to decide whether the item was forever cursed. In the end Arlen simply stood, thinking better of it, but continuing to stare. "A pity. It'd be a good mount on the Captain's wall. A victory against a legend." I'll ask Kyra, whether it is cursed, and if she could remove it. If I get the chance.

He had come back down from the top level, the way he came, with quivers of arrows and one finely crafted spear, sword, and bow each. If he had more hands, he would have gotten one for every member of the crew and some for storage in the armory on-board the Dawn. They didn't make them like this anymore. Everything seemed to be manufactured en masse these days, rather than painstakingly crafted. Dropping a few precious items in his bag he ran into Garin on the bottom floor, sitting at the altar holding Zantetsuken.

Arlen's eyes narrowed and he walked toward the locksmith whose pockets were nearly burst at their seams. "Don't you think it might be a bad idea to be in possession of such an item? What if it's cursed, Garin? It could be bad for all of us, but especially you," Arlen warned.

"Maybe. I've never lived cautiously and it's worked so far. I figure I can get famous with this," the thief grinned.

"Mmm... No doubt with the story that you slay him yourself," Arlen nodded in agreement.

"That's not fair, Arlen," Garin said, pointing the heavy sword at the aging traveler. "We all played our parts."

Arlen smiled, "That we did, young man. That we did. Thank you for protecting Jade and myself when it was needed."

Garin lowered the tip to the ground and rested it on the marble. Nodding once, he gave Arlen a wink. "You're welcome, I think." Garn smirked and bobbed his head,"Nice shot, by the way."

Arlen turned and raised a hand in thanks, "It was Kyra who landed the killing blow, and Cyradis who enchanted my arrow. Thank them for saving our lives."

Limping away, he saw Cyradis just then mentioning to Gabe they had found a way out. Arlen looked back at Garin and motioned for Amateira, "Help me carry her. I owe her that much and more for not protecting her when it mattered most."

Garin tied a sash around Zantetsuken's massive hilt and slung it over a shoulder while he and Arlen carried Amateira's form. Even with a limp, Arlen wouldn't pass on his responsibilities to the girl. She was in and out of consciousness, delirious with beads of sweat forming on her brow and dripping off. Several times as they moved, Arlen called for Garin to set her down so he could check on her and place a cool damp rag on her forehead. They had come across a clear pool of water and refilled their canteens and skins, but food was now completely gone, rather than barely existent. After what seemed like a week under the mountain in the tomb, even a morsel would feel like a feast.

The exhilarating feeling of fresh air and a cool breeze was enough to bring a feel of mirth to everyone's faces, but the natural light coming from the entrance far above was even more powerful an emotion. Kyra could be seen paying homage, and Archamae instantly stood tall and confident. Arlen himself remembered the salute to the sun that he was taught as a boy and performed it in his heart. "Maybe there is a God," he mused to Kyra, who had finished her chant. Looking over, she gave a knowing smile to the journeyman.

"Arch, your baby isn't far now," he laughed.


OOC: Feel free to ignore the exit paragraphs if you had other things planned.

[SoHee]

When it was all over Jasper relaxed for a moment lingering around Jade, but after he was certain she was alright by the time she was starting to focus on the others he left her side. Quickly he found himself by Sephara who lay on the floor. The captain was by her side, but Jasper knew he would not sense the intrusion. The lingering spirit sat down next to her. He could feel here there somewhere, but her light was somewhat dimished.

<Sephara?> he asked. She lay still. There seemed to have been no reaction.

<Sephara?> he continued. <I know you are still here. I can feel you! Can you hear me?>

He wanted to reach out and touch her, but doing so meant he would have to draw strength from her sister. Strength he knew she didn't have right now. Torn between the two women he stared at the face of Sephara with a pang of guilt in his face. He couldn't do it. He had used Jade so many times the last hours and was too afraid of what it might do to her.

<Sephara! You can't leave me now. You still have a promise to fulfill.> He sounded more serious than he was, and a smile was playing on his lips.

<I can't let you go until you help me, you know. Plus the captain would go mad if you left now without even saying goodbye.>

"How is she?" The question was from Jade who sat down next to him, touching Sephara on her forehead.

"You tell me," Gabe answered instead of Jasper. Jade shot Gabe a guilty look.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. She is slightly warm, but I cannot find anything wrong with her. Did you see her fall?"
Jasper knew what she was hoping for, that Sephara was unconscious from a hit to the head or something she understood.

<It is like she is here and yet not,> Jasper told her. <It's difficult to explain.> Jade repeated what he had said to Gabe.

[Arctic Phoenix]

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