NationStates Jolt Archive

"It does not matter, but let us just do it that way so as not to confuse you, Azrael." #1 grinned as she ushered Lorathin out the door with the solution for his back. #2 got started on the chocolate mousse.

"OK, you show me where your room is, lie down on the bed and expose any burned areas." #1 instructed as she stirred the solution.

"Well, they already are exposed." He replied as they headed to his room, where he laid down on his back, the front half of his body, save for the area covered by his shorts, sun-burnt.

"Good," #1 said as she stirred up the bowl one more time and painted the solution onto Azrael's burns. "That should feel good. It will not necessarily get rid of the burns, however, it will cool them. Do you feel any better with the paste on?" She asked? "Perhaps from now on you can remember to zone out in the shade." She grinned.

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#2 was busy making a splendid chocolate mousse. She did find some fruit... a couple of fresh strawberries to top it with anyway. Looking good so far.

'Or at least remember not to take such long naps." Lorathin replied, "And yes it's feeling somewhat better, not perfect of course but better."

"Well Azrael, I would count out the first idea," #1 laughed, "however I am glad the burn feels a bit better. As it warms up, I will put more on it to cool it."

Just then #2 walked in with a gorgeous chocolate mousse topped with three beautiful strawberries. "Desert is served Master Azrael." She grinned at him and held out the plate for him. "I hope it is to your standards." She smiled. "I think it will be. Tell me what you think." She was going to wait until Azrael took a bite and gave his opinion.

"Well it looks delicious." He replied as he took the plate and took a bite, "And tastes better, but I must ask you two to join me, you've made a bit more than I can eat."

They both replied that they were not hungry.

"Shall we find Kalzog to share it with you, Azrael?" #1 said, grinning.

#2 said, "I will have one bite. It does look good. I am glad you like it." She smiled, satisfied with her work.

"He wouldn't appreciate it." He replied, "And that would be fine, thought you'll have to excuse me for not being able to finish it all."

"That is no problem. Perhaps one of the guards may want the leftovers." #2 stated.

There were still 14 Karasus wandering the decks and the various rooms and Karasu, herself, was still trying to console Sarik.

"Perhaps that guard you were flirting with might like to share it with one of you?" He teased, "And it appears to be wearing off."

"What is wearing off?" They both asked. "I do not think either of them relish the idea of being experimented on by that ugly little toad." They both replied.

"Your medicinal salve." He replied, "It's starting to wear off."

"Oh, lie back and will put another coat on," #1 told him.

"I will leave the mousse in here for a while." #2 stated. "I will stay in here with you as well, unless you need me to do any other errands for you." She smiled.

"No, nothing else at the moment." He replied, "But what do you want to do, as I'm sure waiting for me requests for long periods, while flattering to my ego, would not be entirely enjoyable for you."

"I do not know Azrael," #1 said.

#2 replied, "I am going to go to the kitchen and make 3 more mouses... two for the stupid guards and one for the stupid gnome as an apology, more or less." She rolled her eyes. "Cannot hurt." she murmurred as she walked out the door.

#1 was still with Azrael. "Well, Azrael, think of something we would both enjoy." She grinned at him.

Ar'mai was standing on the bow of the ship, her arms loosely out at her sides, letting the wind blow serenely through her hair. In the distance, the waters stretched far and wide, surrounding the boat in a sea of blue. The sun was warm as it beamed down on her tanned skin, but she did not seem to notice... it was a relaxing moment in a chaotic hunt for the light…

"You're going to be making them mice?" He asked teasingly at her slip of the tounge, "I'm sure the ship rats will be bigger than any mice you might find, thought an apology and a bribe usually soothes hurt feelings."

"What do you enjoy doing, as while I now what I like, not knowing what you enjoy makes coming up with an idea slightly more difficult."

#2 rolled her eyes. "I am surprised I did not say 'meeses'! Mousse! ugh! I should leave now, but yes, a bribe may help, and a pseudo-apology. I do have a dream, that some day, gnomes will be extinct, and their likenesses will be placed in tacky guardens. It is almost a premonition." She mused aloud looking off in the distance. "Anyway, I am off to cook!" #2 left.

"You 'now' what you like?" #1 burst out laughing! "Gotcha back! I do not 'now' what you like doing. You tell me what you would like to do, and I will let you 'now' if I like it as well." #1 said, smirking at Azrael.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

#2 busily baked 3 more beautiful chocolate mousse for the two guards and the annoying gnome. Looks like I need a Karasu, she thought, and another copy appeared around the corner to help carry the plates.

'Karasu' and 'Marasu' headed toward the engine room to make their apologies... especially to Mebewick.

Lorathin stuck out his tounge at Karasu, and commented, "Hoisted on mine own petard. Well I like sleeping, but that is not a joint activity, I like riddles, puzzles, relaxing, that kind of thing."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you..." #1 replied. I know you adore sleeping. If you want to sleep I can just sit here and watch in case you are needed... or, do you like to play cards?" She asked with a gleam in her eye.

"What kind of card game did you have in mind?" He asked

"I would have to get a few more Karasus in here, but do you play Blackjack?" She smiled slyly. "Oh, and you need money or gold for this." #1 grinned.

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#2 finished the mousse, got another Karasu. "Karasu' and 'Marasu' brought the deserts to the engine room and knocked on the door.

They waited for someone to answer.

"Blackjack, what's that?" He asked, not letting on that he knew full well what the game was and how to play it, "And alas I am presently devoid of gold."

"Well, then it's no fun," #1 said. "I like 5 card as well, but again, no gold, no fun!" She shook her head. "How do you get around with no money?" Then she looked at his clothing and giggled... "Well you spend no money on your wardrobe, and Karasu takes care of you." She gave him a shit-eating grin. "You are a kept man Azrael!" #1 threw her head back and laughed hysterically.

"Seriously, I assume you can conjure up whatever you need, except food... which reminds me, I am going to have one of me bring a huge feast to Kalzog. We keep bumping into him. He always puts me in a good mood, which I am quite sure you could never understand." She giggled.

"Well, do you know any other card games that we can play without gold or money or something? Just so you know, I will not play any game where if I lose, you get to turn me into a moose or something." #1 folded her arms and smirked, with mirth in her eyes.

"What game would you like to play? Karasu is fond of truth or dare. We always had fun with that, except it is more fun with more people, however, we may find out more about each other this way. I have yet to thank you for your kindness when we met in the dessert. You were very sweet to me Azrael, and do not think I will ever forget." She smiled at him sweetly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#2, 'Marasu' and "Karasu' continued to knock on the door. "We have something special for you Mebewick, and for Bjorn and John. You do not have to let us in; we will give it to you at the door. We want to apologize for our behavior." 'Marasu' said.

'Karasu' continued, "We were quite rude and we apologize, especially to you Mebewick. It had been such a stressful day and we ended up taking it out on you. Truly, we are thankful for your genius in running this ship with your invention. Please take our offering. 'Marasu' spent a bit of time on it. It is a wonderful desert!" She continued.

"We also want to apologize for distracting Bjorn and John. We did not realize they were truly busy, and we think they are quite handsome, and spent too much time speaking with them. Please do not blame them Mebewick. We would be honored and feel less guilty if you would take this small offering as a token of our appreciation for everything we have done, and our apologies."

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Another Karasu went to the kitchen, found a frozen pig. Oh yes, Kalzog will like this as a 'snack'. She chuckled. Karasu felt bad for always being in his way, thus she wanted to do something for him as well. A pig would take no time at all to roast... fire jutsu. No problem!

She put the pig on a spit, and took a deep breath and started spinning it. She exhaled and fire came out of her mouth... She continued this, and it did not take long and the whole pig was roasted.

She put an apple in its mouth, and made a dozen potatoes, stuffing, cranberry dressing, gravy, a huge pot of mixed vegetables, then she though... more meat.

She cooked up two turkeys she found, stuffed of course, with mashed potatoes and gravy. Too bad I do not have a moose. she thought.

A tripple layer German chocolate cake to top it off. By that time she had all ready had several more Karasus to help bring the huge feast to Kalzog.

They found a rolling cart to put the pig and some of the other heavier foods to set down.

On to Kalzog's room.

They knocked on Kalzog's door. "Kalzog," one of them yelled in. "We brought you something special."

It was quite likely he could smell the food from all the way down the hall.

"We are coming in!" One of them opened the door for all the others with their goodies. All of them were smiling.

One of them spoke for all of them: "Kalzog, we realize we have continued to get in your way all day, and we want to offer this dinner as an apology for getting in your way." She told him. "We know it is not much... for you anyway..." they laughed, "however we found what we could in the pantry and brought what we thought you might like." She said.

Another one spoke up; "Does it look good to you, and will you forgive us for being in your way today. We truly feel bad about that."

They all nodded.

"At least it may be a small evening snack for you. What do you think?" Kalzog was asked.

He chuckled at that, "I guess I am in a way. We could always keep a running tally of debt, or play for forfits, or something else altogether." He replied

"I can conjure up food, thought it's not the most palpatable food. He sometime puts me into a good mood as well, but then his sense of humour is closer to yours than mine."

"I wouldn't mind a game of truth or dare if you'd like, and you don't need to thank me." He added

"Oh, Truth or Dare sounds fun Azrael! However, no dares having anything to do with Mebewick or anything!"

The other said, "Yeah, nothing disgusting!!!" and laughed.

"You can start Azrael... you do realize the same answers come from each of us, as they will be the same as Karasu's answers, so one of us can leave and do something... Unless you want us both here." She laughed.

ooc: Is everyone ditching for the day???

"Alright, truth or dare, and I'm sure I can think up some dares that require both of you, unless one of you wishes to leave of course." He replied with a grin.

Rothargot walked near Cadeyrn, the floor boards creaking under his heavy feet. His eyes drifting to his fiery wings. "Nice wings...are they only for show?"

With a swift flap of his wings that sent embers bouncing off the deck; Cadeyrn thrust himself into the air where he hovered smiling at Rothargot.

Quickly the mercenary descended back to the deck as the flames faded and died into the night.

"I can use them a number of ways, but maintining them is a pain in the ass." He said hunched over.

"It doesn't matter... which one of us are you asking Truth or Dare to? Or to make it simpler, should one of us leave Azrael?" One of them asked.

"Doesn't matter, whichever one of you wants to answer, or you can take turns, but that doesn't mean you get two questions to my one." He replied

"As we said the answers will be the same, but you should, for the sake of the rules of the game either choose one of us, or one of us should leave. Which do you prefer Azrael?" One of them asked him.

"Alright then, for that one I choose you one." He replied

"OK... I choose truth." She grinned. It reminded her of when her and Rimmy played this all the time when they were younger... and not so young.

"What is your favorite activity?" He asked

"Oh." She looked upset. My favorite activity is flying... how can I say that and keep my identity to myself? He would have to think on a mount... no problem.

"Flying!" She answered with a smile.

"Truth or Dare Azz?" She asked with a grin.

"Oh?" He commented, "And it's not Azz, but truth."

ooc: I'm still here(but noly during commercials_

"I think 'Azz' is a cute nickname!" Both Karasus agreed.

"How old are you?" They grinned. Finding out a mage's age was always interesting.

ooc: What are you watching? After your next reply I am signing out as you are the only one on, and I have a hell game to play w/hubby (Disorderly conduct. ugh!)

"Fine, if you want to call me Azz, you can call me Azz." He replied with a sigh. "As to my age, truth be told, I'm not quite sure."

ooc: Dexter's Lab.

ooc: I have seen every episode of that. I even have a pic of him stuck to my puter... lol!

"OK, your turn Azz, although that was hardly an answer. You could have given an estimate." The Karasus pouted.

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The other Karasu was waiting to see how Kalzog liked his surprise. How could he not love it!!! It is the best food he will get on this ship! She thought, smiling.

"I did not want to interrupt you Kalzog, but as I said, I wanted to apologize, and I made this for you as a token of my apology. You will get no better food on this ship. I am a gourmet cook, and, I found as much meat as I could, plus all the fixings and desert!

"I know this is a small snack for you, but I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about being in your way all day. It was not intentional, I'm sure you know that." She smiled.

"Please tell me what you think?"

"I'm around thirty, I think. And truth or dare?" He asked

"Thirty!" They both yelled. "Thirty what? Milleniums?" one asked. "You are not allowed to lie in this game you know!" She said. "If you are going to lie, there is no point in playing." The other said.

"Be honest, or let us not play." They both chimed in.

ooc: Dexter's LAB!?!?!?!?! I wanna watch!!!!


"Leave us be!" growled the gnome inside his room, the door barely patched up from Sarik's barrage earlier. "I don't want anymore of your nonsense, nor your chocolate mooses!"

"Are they like chocolate covered meese?" asked Bjorn.

"It's moose's you idiot!" came John's response.

"Hey! Look who's talking!"

"Silence, you nincompoops! I'm working!"

"Can we go see them?"

"No! Karasu and other, don't come back here! And leave the guards alone!" shouted Mebbiwik, as Bjorn and John groaned and shouted in the background.

"No! Karasu! Come back to us!"

"Marasu! Remember me!"

"Shut up and get to work..." snapped Mebbiwik.

***********************************************************

Kalzog opened the door gently and smiled at the Karasu's. "You know, I don't really have much of a problem with bumping into so many...however, if you're going to indulge me with a feast everytime I'm annoyed, then I should do so more often," he chuckled.

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Sarik smiled at Karasu and sat down. "Well...this is a...comfortable bubble...I suppose," he chuckled. "Not much to do, however..."

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Rothargot nodded at Cadeyrn as he hovered above him. "Once you prove yourself to Valtrox...imagine how powerful you can get...Depending on several decisions you make, you may be able to sustain that fire for incredible lengths of time..."

"Thirty years I think, but then much of my time was spent in places where time flows at a different rate than it does here, where an hour passes in seconds but a minute lasts days." He replied, "Like I said, I can't tell exactly, and I'm not lieing, just don't have precise figures."

"Mebbiwick, please take them. We will not go in. We want to apologize for our earlier behavior. We really meant no harm. And we have nothing against you. Truly." 'Marasu' said.

"Yes, we would like you to accept these as a token of our apology. They are really very good. Please accept them and try them?" 'Karasu' added.

Both of them had sad looks on their faces.

"Please, we are begging you. We finally realize how much trouble we have caused you. And we were stressed out due to some other troubles not having to do with you... we are so sorry for taking everything out on you." 'Marasu' said.

Both of them bowed to Mebbiwick. "Please? It is the least we can do, and we will not bother you again. I think you will like the desert very much.

"Please Sir Mebbewick?" They both begged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, Sarik, we talk is what we do in this little bubble," Karasu smiled sweetly. "And we make sure you know none of this is your fault. We all know that." She told him, for the nth time.

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"OK, you are thirty, Azz, your turn to ask a question." One of them said.

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"Oh, Kalzog, I am glad you think it looks good. I can quite guarantee that it is!"

"That sounds good." Cadeyrn said exhausted. "Until then I'll have to put my faith in my blade when it comes to combat. Not like we'll fight anything too powerful in Zlatlan."

"Since it seems you want truth, why do you insist on teasing me?" He asked, "And my next response will be a truth as well."

"Pah! Probably poison! Leave us alone!" growled Mebbiwik, much to the whining of Bjorn and John.

***********************************************************

Sarik smiled at Karasu. "Well...what do you want to talk about?" he asked, closing his eyes, so he wouldn't fall to any more temptations.

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Kalzog smiled widely, showing his deadly teeth, before picking up the pig and chomping down on it in two huge bites. "Very tasty...compliments to the chef Karasu," he laughed as he pulled the cart in and sat on his bed.

"You do know that such a feast may starve us if you used up all the meat you can find," he laughed.

***********************************************************

"Put you faith in your comrades and continue to put your faith in Valtrox. Only then will victory be at hand," Rothargot replied as he looked to the moon.

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Ixair had been captaining the strange new ship, thanks to some instructions by Mebbiwik. It seemed to be moving at high speeds, compared to even some of the sleek elven ships he's traveled on. He also got himself acquainted with the new "Pressurized Rifles" that Rimoru was rumored to have been arming a large part of her army with.

But, even captaining the large ship grew boring for Ixair. He placed one of his navigators at the helm and began to explore the ship.

He smiled as he noticed a beautiful woman walking about. He scanned her body as he passed, before bumping into another one...an exact same copy.

"Amazing!" he muttered as he took off his hat and bowed elegantly. "Please accept my humblest apologies, madam. I was only admiring your handiwork, or your twin."

He gave Karasu one of the handsome elven smirks he was known for and kissed her hand gently. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ixair Riftdreamer. Just call me Ixair please," the elf chuckled.

"I used to fear the sight of the moon, now I can only look at it in awe." Cadeyrn said staring into the silver mass.

"I will follow Valtrox until I am dead, but my blade is the only thing I can put my faith in. Without it I cannot serve our lord nor myself, I would be quite useless."

The twins outside Mebbewick's door hung their heads and 'Karasu' spoke. "Marasu put much work into these. We will leave them out here. We hope you will change your mind. Test it for poison if you want." They then put the tray and plates on the floor. Marasu shook her head and 'Karasu' shrugged her shoulders. "As I said... future guardan lawn ornament."

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"Sarik, I would like you to speak to me about your concerns honestly. I know you hold back and try not to 'burden' others or show any pain. It is no burden, and showing your pain will help you deal with it." Karasu took his hand into her two hands trying to soothe him.

"Please talk to me. I beg you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, hello!" Marasu said, startled at the man... make that handsome man. He introduced himself to the two of them.

"Pleased to meet you Ixair," both said to him with their beautiful smiles.

"I see you wear the Captain's hat." Marasu noticed. "So we have finally met the Captain." She grinned at him, while 'Karasu' gave him a bit of a seductive look.

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"Kalzog, there is plenty of food. I made this as a snack for you. The rest of the food is where you likely will not find it, so the rest of us will not starve!" She chuckled.

"I am glad you are enjoying the food. I am a trained gourmet." She said proudly.

"My concerns?" Sarik replied, opening his eyes so he could look into Karasu's caring face. "I am worried that I will dishonor us both. I feel myself wanting to be intimate right now with you..." he blushed deeply as he closed his eyes.

"I am also concerned that I will not finish this mission...that all this is slowing us down. I am also concerned...that your child is unsafe. You should be laying down."

***********************************************************

"The one and only, Capt'n," he chuckled, putting on a pirate impression, closing one of his eyes and speaking out the side of his mouth.

"Now...if ye don't mine me askin'...are ye twins or are ye some sort of magic?" he asked, his blue eyes glittering as he put his captain's hat back on his medium-long golden hair.

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"But what of your magic, Cadeyrn? Surely you are not useless without your sword...you killed a dragon with your fists..." Rothargot replied.

"Sarik, you will not dishonor us. Yes, I would like to be intimate with you as well. I feel myself holding back. However, I would not hurt you and your fiancé'. You have been faithful to your fiancé' all this time. The only way I would consider it, is if you loved me more than her... and I doubt that. Either way, I am always, under all circumstances, your friend and ally." Karasu smiled at Sarik.

"Also," Karasu continued, "You are not slowing the mission down. Not at all." She reassured him. "Are you aware the same thing happened to Rimmy? That Habe-whatever invaded her mind and posed as her conscience and she did things she never would have done. When he was gone, she knew it was not her. Azrael knew what happened when it was happening." Karasu told him, as she held his chin, tipped his face up, and looked into his eyes.

"Listen to me Sarik, when something feels like your conscience, but tells you to do something vile or violent, or tries to make you feel that your friends are against you, try your best to realize it is not your conscience, but this conniving demon. He is insidious in the fact that he can trick people into thinking the thoughts are their own. Please try to separate you and IT. Try to remember your REAL life and that these ideas are not something you would do, as much as you think it is you thinking them, it is not." Karasu smiled at Sarik, trying to reassure him.

"I would like to do that one in myself, Sarik. Do not worry, no one blames you, you are not slowing anything down. In fact, a few copies of me are waiting on Azrael hand and foot serving him gourmet desert and helping him with his sunburn, as well as playing games with him... so you see, you have not interrupted this trip.

"One more thing. Will you explain to me exactly, in detail, what your mission consists of?" She asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marasu answered the Captain in a pirate imitation. "Arrrgh! Avast ye scurvy scalawag! We be twins! Should we sing '15 Men on a Dead Man's Chest now!" They both laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Azrael, it is your turn to ask a question." One of them informed him. "We asked your age, and you have to ask one of us 'truth or dare'." They grinned

Sarik smiled as he looked into Karasu's eyes. "Thank you Karasu...it is so hard...to separate his thoughts from my own...they seemed like mine..."

The Paladin closed his eyes again and slowly moved away from Karasu as he felt himself desiring her again.

"Well...my mission was to prevent Inzikai from getting the book...I...failed," the Paladin took a deep breath as he felt his anger build up. "So I decided I will stop at nothing to prevent Valtrox's escape onto the mortal plane..."

Several seconds of silence passed until Sarik smiled again. "I wish I could have gourmet desert...and massage," he chuckled, keeping his eyes shut.

***********************************************************

Ixair smiled at the two. "Har har har! Ye both be pirate lasses, do ye? Well...All pirate's have ta do somethin' for the ship...so, how bout ye both swab the deck?" he chuckled, winking to both of them.

"You two certainly are a fun-loving bunch, aren't you," Ixair smiled as he stretched, losing his pirate accent.

"I do have a few tricks up my sleeve." Cadeyrn replied grinning while flexing his clumsy metal hand. "As for beating a dragon to death with my bare hands...that was all pure anger. It nearly got me killed by headbutting Kalzog repeatedly."

"Sarik, the V-man will not come to the mortal plane! All of us will not let him! Do not worry about the book. We also know where to dump him back under, remember?" She grinned, referring to the map.

"I cannot make you a chocolate mousse in here, however, I certainly can give you a relaxing back rub. You are in need of it more than anyone I know. How about it? I think it will make you feel better, and I am quite a good masseusse, if I say so myself." Karasu grinned at him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Azrael! Ask a question!" The two Karasus were getting impatient.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Karasu' replied to Ixair in their pirate accent... "Ahhh!! We two do no work! Arggghhhh! We drink rum and let the other scurvy scalawags do thee work!"

They grinned. "Well, we have been having fun this evening, Ixair." Marasu replied in her normal voice.

"Hey, I have a great idea!" Marasu said excitedly. "Captain Ixair, Sir," she bowed, "may we drive the ship?! It would be so much fun!" Her eyes sparkling and 'Karasu' nodding at the idea.

Harlin had wandered from Sarik's room and was now lounging on the deck. There were no tasks for his to tend to, so he decided to laze around in the shade. Closing his eyes, he drifted into a light sleep.

"No, thank you, Karasu," Sarik said sadly. "As much as I would love to, you never know what feelings may come forward."

***********************************************************

Ixair laughed at the two. "You two are so childish," he chuckled, putting his arms around the both of them. "Of course...they are...somewhat complicated controls however."

***********************************************************

"Rage can help win a battle," Rothargot replied as he shifted his wings in the light breeze. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature was cool, but not cold.

"Alright then, truth or dare." He asked with a chuckle.

Karasu looked down. "I am sorry Sarik. I should have not mentioned it. I am just tryint to help.

"Will you tell me of the rest of this mission you are on? What is it you are entrusted to do? In detail please." Karsu asked Sarik.

Both of them were feeling sad. She could tell. How can I cheer him up?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We are not childish!" 'Karasu' and Marasu told Ixair. "We were just following your lead." Marasu grinned.

"'Tis true." 'Karasu' added. "I think we can work the controls of a ship. We will see Captain." She smiled at him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Azrael, it is your turn to ask one of us truth or dare... we just asked your age... so it is your turn." One of the Karasus told him.

"Dare!" one of them answered, with a grin.

"I dare you to take the rest of this mousse and smush it into the other's face." He replied with an wicked grin as he took his last bite of the mousse.

"Oh! You are horrible and do not think we will not get you back!" One of them yelled at him while the other's eyes opened wide. "You are mean!"

"You can smush it in my face. I am a tad hungry. I need something to wipe it off with first." They found a clean rag, and one of the Karasus proceeded to smush the mousse into the other's face.

"There! Are you happy Azrael!" She yelled at him.

"There isn't much more I can tell you anymore," Sarik replied softly as he sat unmoving, as if in meditation. "This whole ship ride was unanticipated and I was hoping we would have caught Inzikai before..."

"Do not worry, Karasu. I know your intentions are good," he replied, giving her a small smile while keeping his eyes shut.

***********************************************************

"Uh-huh...not childish," Ixair laughed as he led the two to the helm. There were several dials, levers, handles and wheels in the room, yet the Navigator seemed only to be using the main steering wheel.

"Borzen, get some rest for a bit. I'm going to let these two beautiful ladies handle it for a while," the elf said to the man on the steering wheel, who only nodded before smiling to the girls and wandering off.

"Well, most of the handles do things with the steam, so you guys only really need to work the steering wheel," Ixair said with a smile, watching for a reaction from the twins.

"Yep, and I full well expect you to try and get vengence. It'll be fun." He replied with a slightly smirkish grin.

"Sarik, you mentioned finding some sort of sword. Can you tell me more about that? Karasu asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Truth or Death... I mean Dare, Azrael!" One of them asked, while the other was still cleaning mousse off her face.

"Quite tasty I must say!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You are telling us all we have to do is steer?" Marasu looked at Ixair, perplexed. "Well, what direction are we going and where is the compass?" She asked.

"We do nothing with the steam or anything?" 'Karasu' asked. It was at this point that Ixair would find out they were not dumb bimbos.

"I think I'll take you up on that dare." He replied, thought he was slightly apprehensive of what they'd challenge him with.

"We need a minute to discuss what would be a good dare." One grinned at Azrael devilishly.

"I gave you a prompted answer, and didn't discuss it with anyone, so I expect the same, not the results of a Karasu conference." He replied

"Well...there's not much I can tell you about that either...it's supposed to be the ultimate symbol of good...with it, we could unite the clans...It was used by a powerful hero of a past war..." Sarik replied as the thoughts came to his mind.


***********************************************************
"Nothing...nothing at all," Ixair grinned as he hopped onto the top of the steering wheel with a grin and began to walk to the right, his feet expertly balancing him on the thin wheel.

He stopped and smiled at the twins. "The steam is set to it's right settings. The direction should be pointing North East...but a little more on the north side," he laughed as he stopped and pointed to a large ball near the wheel...the compass. He loved showing off his incredible agility and balance, especially to beautiful women...

"Do you know where this sword is located,Sarik?" Karasu asked him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, if it is not Captain Showoff." The two chuckled, teasingly.

"However, at least we do know how to steer this thing." 'Karasu' said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"OK, Azrael, I dare you to go into Kalzog's room and start slapping him up!" They both laughed uproariously.

"We are waiting..." One said.

"Tut-tut, that violates the rules." He replied as he was use to the game only involving those who are part of the game and not outsiders.

"We never agreed on those rules." One of them said. "As a matter of fact, we agreed on no rules prior to beginning the game, so how can you call that a rule?" The other asked.

"Actually we never disgussed rules, but it's an inhearent one, at least where I come from." He replied

"I have no clue as to the whereabouts of the sword...I've looked all over the Imperium, Illuminata (Land of the Order), and the southern part of the Exe-Duun mountains..." Sarik replied sadly.

"Rimoru herself has had search parties look for the sword in the deserts...but nothing..."

"I just don't know where the sword is..."

*********************************************************** Ixair lept off the wheel and bowed elegantly. "Not show-off...just Stylish," he chuckled as he put the captain's hat on one of the Karasu clones. "I'll be back. Don't get into too much trouble you two...keep us to the North East, with a little more to the North," he said with a wink, before walking out onto the deck.

He couldn't deny the fact that Karasu and Marasu were incredibly beautiful, but he had seen a certain elf on deck earlier...

He noticed her tanned skin, gleaming in the sunlight as he brown hair flowed elegantly behind her.

He casually walked up behind her and smiled. "Greetings fellow elf! I do not believe I have had the honor to meet you," he called to her.

He casually walked up behind her and smiled. "Greetings fellow elf! I do not believe I have had the honor to meet you," he called to her.

Ar'mai's thoughts were far from her surroundings and so it took a moment before her mind really processed the words. "Likewise," she replied calmly as she turned slowly to face him.

For the first time in a while, she had removed all of her weapons and stored them in her cabin; she looked much more... 'pure' without them. Lighter and more approachable also. "I am Ar'mai Corvianna."

"Well! If that is not rude! I think we have been dumped!" One said to the other.

"Ahhhh big deal, he was not that hot anyway. I'm going to steer standing on the wheel too!" Marasu said! With the training and balance she had, she could steer perfectly, even while performing backflips, and such.

"Take that Cap'n!" She grinned. They were still sailing in perfect direction."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow, not knowing where this sword is... I do not know what to say." Karasu replied to Sarik.

"Is there anything at all I can do to cheer you up? Anything at all!" She grinned at Sarik. "I would do anything to see you happy." Karasu smiled kindly at him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"OK, inherant rule... your dare then is to slap the shit out of your sunburn for 3 minutes!" They grinned at him. "Hey, if you will not touch Kalzog, you are next in line!" They both laughed.

"You aren't very good nurses, getting your patient to self-damage." He protested, "And it's kind of hard to slap yourself." He replied as he began slapping himself that caused noise and was painful but not as bad as the Karasus surely intended it to be.

"Rings a slight bell, but I tend to say that with most names," Ixair laughed as he made an elegant bow. "Ixair Riftdreamer at your service, Miss Corvianna."

"I was with Sarik and the others at the Arena...yet I do not recall seeing you, nor the other young lady. I do remember a large elven male, however...wait a second...were you the one who jumped into the Arena?"

"Karasu...just your presence makes me happy," Sarik replied dreamily, as he continued his medatative stance. "Please, if there is some way I can entertain you...let me know. You are so kind to me...I owe you atleast some small ounce of gratitude...Not to mention something as a token of my forgiveness..."

Ar'mai paused a moment before admitting it. "Aye... that was me." She knew it wasn't anything to be embarrassed about, but still she felt odd talking about the event.

"Azrael, you do not have to do that, however, you have to dance for us for 3 minutes. We do not want to hurt you." One said.

"And dance like you have never danced before!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarik? Please, what can I do for you. I want to see you smile again more than anything." Karasu told him softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two of the other copies were watching to see if Mebbewick and his flunkies would take the desert. They hoped so. It was not easy to make, and was delicious.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OOC: TORNADO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It was quite something, Ar'mai. But...When I was speaking with your friends about the big elf...they said he was the bodyguard of an elven princess...may that princess be you?" he asked, walking slightly closer.

ooc: Tornado?? Go to the basement! Hurry!!:eek:

"Karasu, for you, a smile is the least I can do," Sarik replied, smiling broadly, his white teeth glistening in the light.

"That won't be hard." He replied as he stopped, "Considering I don't remember ever dancing before, at least not without a partner. So which one wants to be it, and we'll need to go to the deck to get the necessary room."

Bringing up Bael'ther again turned Ar'mai's thoughts to a far off place. It had been a while since they had been apart, and she felt somewhat lonely without the hulking elf nearby. She remembered with great pain the night when he had departed.

It was dark - sometime during middle of the night - while everyone else was asleep. She had woken him up, though she wasn't sure if he even was asleep, and told him to mount Gael'kadar and ride like the wind. He had protested, not wanting to leave Ar'mai's side - it would kill him if anything happened to her when he was gone - but eventually he gave in to the intensity that the fair elf's eyes had shown.

She returned to the present moment after a long period of thought and replied to his question in a faint voice, "Only by birth..."

"It is a pleasure to meet another royal elf," Ixair smiled as he bowed again. He was in line to be a prince of an elven kingdom that shared it's lands with the Cult...before it became the Cult. Now he was nothing but a prince of rebels and thieves...

"Please forgive me, Miss Corvianna...but you of all people should know that elven eyes are keen enough to notice mineute details...including those of sadness that hath graced your beautiful face. What did I say that brought that feeling to you?" he asked kindly as he walked up to her.

"It is not the eyes that recognize sadness, but the heart..." she said with a slight sigh. "You have done nothing of fault... I was merely thinking of another place. And please, call me Ar'mai."

Deciding to change the topic, she pursued a brief comment of his. "Another royal elf? You are a prince..."

"I am a prince of a kingdom of elves long gone...destroyed, and hunted to the end by Inzikai and his brutal followers...I watched as my family was torn to shred before my very eyes...my sister, tortured...raped...my father, brutally murdered...my mother made blind before being tossed out the window...My people, lined up against the palace walls, each one having their insides turned out...the forests were tainted by the blood of my people...A massacre..."

"My kingdom is no longer...I am only a prince by blood," he replied sadly, repeating Ar'mai's earlier comment.

With Ixair's words Ar'mai remembered a few things Inzikai had said when she was in his possession. He had caught himself every time, but she knew enough that it was obvious he was hiding his atrocities of the elves from her.

"A prince in blood can, with enough work and persistence, become a king in spirit."

Ixair smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you for the kind words, Ar'mai. Tell me, are you hungry? Or thirsty? Are you enjoying yourself here?"

"It is hard to enjoy oneself when one knows the gravity of what we are doing here..." Ar'mai said. Real enjoyment and bliss, she knew, would not come until the land was safe from god and mortal alike...

"Oh, nonsense, Ar'mai. It's best to enjoy every day of life...no matter the future. Come, I'll show you an amazing sight," Ixair smiled as he gently took hold of Ar'mai's hand and gently tugged her towards the railing.

"Azrael, no no... you dance here, by yourself! That is your dare~!" They both laughed. "Three minutes." One of them confirmed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarik, thank you. I want so badly to really make you happy... solve your problems, and take the cares of the world off your shoulders. I want you to be your old self again, however, with no cares whatsoever."

Karasu tried, but she could not stop the tears welling up in her eyes.

Ar'mai let herself be pulled gently to the railing - the one at which she had been standing just a few moments prior.

"I'll try, but don't expect miracles." He replied as he began trying to waltz, without a partner, and in a highly limited area. Naturally his preformance was quite comical.

Sarik's eyes opened slowly as he watched Karasu's eyes begin to water. "Now now, Karasu...don't cry for me...It's better me, than someone much more powerful, like Rimoru or the Patriarch," he said softly, his hand reaching over to wipe the tears from her soft face.

***********************************************************

Ixair smiled as he jumped onto the railing, before looking back at Ar'mai. "I'm assuming you can climb and have good balance. Am I right?" he chuckled, still holding her hand.

"Naturally..." she said with a faint smile as she leapt up onto the rail beside him.

Ixair chuckled in response as he nimbly walked a few feet forward, coming to a rope, before continuing his path on the rope.

He smiled as he came to an incline and he began to walk upwards, looking back occasionally to make sure Ar'mai was doing fine.

The elven prince continued on until they came to a rope ladder and he began to climb, but his hand remained around Ar'mai's in case she needed his help.

"Sarik, I hate to see you hurt. It is as simple as that. I want to hug you, but I know that bothers you. I only want to comfort you. I feel so helpless." Karasu was sitting on the floor wishing she could do something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Both Karasus burst out laughing so hard tears were pouring out of their eyes. "Tha--that... is cer...tainly... no... mira...!" The one speaking could not even finish her sentence, as she was laughing so hard. The two of them were hysterical, all at Azrael's expense.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Karasu' and Marasu were bored to death in the engine room. 'Karasu' went to look for Ixair and found him walking on the railing with Ar'mai.

She jumped up on the railing behind the Captain, handed his hat back to him, and spoke to him. "Ixair, unfortunately, we do not want to steer the ship all night, so we are leaving it back to you. After a few flips and dances on the wheel, it became dull, and we never said we would be there for any length of time, so I suggest you get back to the wheel, unless this ship has autopilot." 'Karasu' said to Ixair.

"Why do you not show Ar'mai the steering wheel? I must say we had much fun for a while doing flips, and such on the wheel, but we must take our leave. Thank you for showing us the steering room Captain." She went off to get Marasu and have her ditch before Ixair came up in case Ar'mai was with him.

Ar'mai was taking the course with ease thanks to her natural and practiced nimbleness and dexterity. However, she thought it was nice how Ixair was making sure she was okay and holding her hand the whole way through.

As he finished his three minutes of humiliation, he sat down and looked at them. "So do you want to continue, or have you laughted yourselves hoarse?" He asked, "If you do, truth or dare?"

"Not steer the ship all night? You guys joke!" smiled Ixair. "That's alright, a navigator will be back shortly...they are on shifts."

With that, Ixair continued upwards until they came to the crows nest, where the elven prince helped Ar'mai into the small space.

He smiled as he admired her for a few seconds before turning towards the setting sun. "Looks like we're just in time...I know you must've seen the sun set countless times...but this...this is like nothing I've seen before..."

Soon enough, the sun was descending behind Rimoru's distant city...however, with the incredible magic in the air, along with the mirages of the desert, marvelous images and colors flashed in it's place.

The sky was like a beautiful painting, reds, orange, blues, greens, yellows, even a light dash of pink brightened the sky as the sun set. On land, it looked like a beautiful rainforest had taken the place of the city...waterfalls cascading down as a rainbow crossed the sky...One could almost hear the rainforest animals.

Ixair grinned broadly as he watched the beautiful sunset.

"Well, Mr. Danceman, our question is 'Do you want to continue? If you do, I think we will take truth." They agreed.

Sarik's smile faded from his face as he closed his eyes again. He remained silent for a few more seconds before gently rising onto his feet and walking to Karasu, before putting his arms around her, his head over her shoulder. His eyes remained closed, however. "Don't feel helpless, Karasu. Your presence here does comfort me..."

"Then my question for you is, how do you fly, as I don't think I've seen you with a winged horse or magic carpet or anything like that?" He asked

After being helped into the crow's nest, Ar'mai leaned against the short wall and peered off into the distance. She pretended not to notice his leering as she gazed out at the beautiful night. The sun's setting unloosed a beautiful scene all across the night... thoroughly impressing Ar'mai.

"On various beasts, Azrael." They answered. This was true as in human form, Karasu had ridden other dragons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I am glad Sarik. I am always here for you. I hate to see you hurt." Karasu held him and did her best to comfort him.

"Alright then, and if you're going to ask me truth or dare, than you can make it a dare." He replied

The two elves watched in silence as the sun drifted behind Rimoru's palace and disappeared, leaving both in darkness.

"Did you like it, Ar'mai? I have to admit, that had to be the best showing yet," Ixair said quietly. The best showing because you were there with me...

He smiled as he leaned up on the wall next to her, resting his chin on his palms.

***********************************************************

"And Karasu. I am always here for you...if you ever need my assistance, do not be afraid to ask," he replied, smiling warmly.

"What are you hiding Azrael? Or are you trying to make us lose our voices?!" They began chuckling.

"I dare you to sing a 3 minute song accapella!" One of them said.

"You know... I did. I really did," Ar'mai said honestly as she relaxed against the wall. "It was... relaxing. Sort of like when I used to just lie in the forest, far away from my people, and just listen to the sound of nature..."

"Sing what now?" He asked

"A song of your choice Azrael. We will at least give you that option." One of the Karasus replied.

"Nature...always there to calm the nerves, to aid us when asked, giving us that guiding hand..."

He slowly turned to face Ar'mai and smiled broadly. "Nature gives us the joy we need for everyday hardships," he said quietly as he looked into her eyes.

"What was that other word, accappliona?" He asked not knowing what it was.

"So true..." Ar'mai commented as it literally did just that sometimes.

"Perhaps I will have to come up here more often..." she said, picturing herself just standing there, watching the hours drift by as they closed in on their goal.

"Azrael, it means with no instruments." They replied. "We are waiting..." One of them said tapping her foot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karasu was so tired. She needed to be alert and needed to be there for Sarik, however she was reaching her limit... with 20 Karasus running around, it did drain her a bit.

"You are more than welcome to, Ar'mai. Any day you feel like it, go ahead...That is what I've done on many ship rides before...until, of course, the captain yelled at me to get back to my duty," Ixair chuckled.

"Would you like to get down now?" the elf asked as he stretched himself out.

"No... I am quite fine up here," Ar'mai reassured, "But if I am holding you from your duties... go ahead, I would not be insulted if you left."

Sarik slowly pulled himself away from his embrace with Karasu. Once he was a safe distance from her, he opened his eyes and noticed she looked awefully tired.

"Karasu...you should fall asleep...or take a nap..." he said quietly as he sat back down.

"No... I am quite fine up here," Ar'mai reassured, "But if I am holding you from your duties... go ahead, I would not be insulted if you left."

"Nonsense, Ar'mai. I have to admit...being up here with a fellow elf is...a great feeling...but a beautiful elf as yourself..." he nervously scratched his golden hair, blushing slightly. "That's a moment to cherish..."

"Alright." He replied as he stood, straightened up, and took a deep breath before beginning, his words deep and rich.

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come you back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

"Sarik, are you OK? You have not said anything." Karasu continued to hold him. It made her feel better as well.

"Oh." Karasu replied to Sarik. She did not know what to do to encourage him anymore. He seemed to tire of her company and rarely spoke to her.

"I see that I am no longer welcome here. I am boring you. I will get Azrael to get me out." Karasu replied sadly, as she stood up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, the singing was not that bad, I guess." The two grinned.

"I am tired of this game, let us do something else." One of the Karasus said with the other in agreement. "What do you think Azrael?"

"Only not bad?" He asked, a very slightly dejected note to his voice that was mostly masked by joviality, "But what do you want to do?" He asked

"I do not know Azrael, you decide. After all, we are to look after... or chain ourselves to... however you would like to phrase it... you, so you decide." The smiled at the mage.

"And I thought you were growing bored with me, Karasu," Sarik replied calmly. "It was you who looked tired...I only do not want you to stay awake and grow bored of me...it's just there is not much someone in my position can do..."

Sarik closed his eyes again. He would be greatly saddened to see her leave him alone.

"Nonsense, Ar'mai. I have to admit...being up here with a fellow elf is...a great feeling...but a beautiful elf as yourself..." he nervously scratched his golden hair, blushing slightly. "That's a moment to cherish..."

"You are too kind," Ar'mai said, slightly blushing at his praiseful comment about her beauty and not knowing what else to say to something like that.

"I do not want to leave Sarik, it is just that you are barely saying a word to me." Karasu said. "It seems my company does nothing for you, you have nothing to say to me, and you are now bored with me." Karasu replied.

"Then perhaps a walk, and a dance on deck?" He suggested

Sarik remained silent as he began to meditate. He could feel his anger grow slowly.

Assuming is annoying...kill her and be done with it...

Sarik closed his eyes harder as he put a trembling finger to his mouth. "Shhh...meditate..." he whispered as he slowly placed himself back in meditative position.

I told her to not come in here...kill her and then I will have proved my point...

Sarik began to search his conscience...for the demon Habdebza...

***********************************************************

Ixair smiled at Ar'mai before looking out into the distant city...the faint glow like more stars in the sky...

"I only speak the truth," he whispered as he jumped onto the railing and sat down on it, letting his feet hang down.

"Truth is subjective," Ar'mai stated in a seemingly oxymoronical statement that nonetheless was true when people decided to make up their own truths.

"Perhaps it is just that lack of light that makes you think so," Ar'mai said with a giggle. "I am actually quite hideous in daylight," she joked.

"Moreso than your ogre friend?" Ixair laughed as he took a good look at her. "No matter, what I see now, is what I'll remember you by."

"Actually...I think I do see some signs of an ogre or troll in you," he chuckled as he jumped off the railing, landing next to her. He gently played with her silky hair and smiled. "Definately the hair of a troll!" he laughed, as he very well knew that the hair of trolls tended to be greasy...if they had any hair at all...or else it tended to be body hair.

"And your skin...why, it must be as tough as an ogre," he continued as he gently stroked her fair skin with his hand.

Ar'mai shoved him jokingly, though not enough to push him over the wall. "Why you...!"

Ixair chuckled as he did a backwards flip onto the crows nest railing, before grabbing hold of a nearby rope. "And your eyes...definately the large round eyes of a gnome!" he laughed as he swung around Ar'mai, landing behind her.

"Your ears...those of a goblin!" He bent over as he laughed so hard, he could barely take a breath.

"Well you certainly can't be an elf then... your eyes fail you..." Ar'mai said as she did a flip onto the top of the 'mast.'

"I doubt an ogre or goblin could do that," she said after she safely landed on one foot.

"No...I suppose not..." Ixair smiled as he climbed the rope up to her. "So then...maybe you are an elf," he joked, as he leaned towards her. "But that brings us to my first point...you're a beautiful elf..." he laughed.

[ooc: TG]

IC:

"Perhaps...." she whispered as she stared out into the darkness as the ship pittered on.

ooc: TG DMG

Ixair smiled as he watched the sky with her, silently admiring her and the calm and nearly silent night around them.

His keen elven ears could pick up the clanking of the engine room, along with the cursing of Mebbiwik and the blubbering of the guards. He could also hear the waves calmly lap up against the boat as it chugged along. He could hear Ar'mai's soft breathing and the swinging of some of the ropes in the cool breeze. All relaxing...

I think I'll probably just sleep out here tonight... he thought as he took a deep breath of the fresh air.

"How old are you?" Ar'mai asked abruptly. It was quite a bold question though said in a calm and casual manner.

Ixair looked at Ar'mai with a small grin, only slightly shocked at the question. He moved a stray lock of blond hair out of his blue eyes as he pondered the question. "How old do you think I am?" he asked with a grin.

"Judging by the way you act," she said with a devilish smile. "I would say about fifteen..."

"Rage can help win a battle," Rothargot replied as he shifted his wings in the light breeze. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature was cool, but not cold.

"Yes, but ignoring tactics and any reason isn't too desirable." Cadeyrn replied flipping his blade through the air, light reflected wildly from the twisting diamond edge before landing on his back.

Cadeyrn fell to the ground looking at the stars in the sky with awe.

Marlene slumped out of the room with her hair in a mess, she looked as if she didn't get much rest. Her eyes caught the two having as she smiled before laying down next to the mercenary.

"Close," Ixair laughed. "Three hundred sixty one."

"And how old may you be?" he asked as he continued to stare out into the sky.

***********************************************************

"No...it is not," Rothargot replied before staring up into the sky as well. Suddenly, Marlene stumbled about and lay next to Cadeyrn.

"Sleep well, Marlene?"

"You would ask a lady her age?" Ar'mai replied with a giggle.

"Oh? Pardon me, my lady!" Ixair replied with a chuckle.

"Fine then...I'll guess...Three hundred and thirty...oh...six. Three hundred and thirty six, my final answer," the elf prince said as he swung lightly around on the rope.

"Yeah." She answered softly wondering which stars they were staring at.

"What are you going to do after this little adventure Marlene?" Cadeyrn asked without breaking his gaze on the sky.

"I'll keep following you where ever you go." The young girl replied with a moment of thought.

"I've asked Rothergot to take care of you in case something should happen to me." He said quietly.

"In case, or when something happens?" She asked worried.

Cadeyrn only smiled.

"What stars are you looking at Rothy?" Marlene asked without putting Cadeyrn's reply into thought.

"I look at the brightest stars up there, that make up the dragon," Rothargot replied, not taking his gaze off the heavens.

"Which stars do you look at?"

Karasu noticed a change in Sarik. He was shaking and had his eyes squeezed shut.

"Ignore Habadebza." Karasu said softly. "How dare he enter your mind and try to take you over Sarik. Why the nerve! The anger should be directed at him. Kick him out.

"Ignore Habadebza," Karasu repeated soothingly over and over like a mantra.

Several minutes passed as Sarik continued the search inward for the demon...but he couldn't find him...and he seemed to be calming down, with the help of Karasu's soothing voice.

He finally opened his eyes a bit and visibly relaxed. "I did not feel him...but he doesn't seem to be in me," he said quietly with a smile. "Thank you Karasu."

"Are you still tired? Perhaps you would like to play a game or something to pass the time? Or would you like to sleep?"

"Sure! I'll play a game, Sarik. What would you like to play? It is not as if we have any cards in here, and the furniture is a bit pathetic," Karasu laughed as they sat Indian style on the floor.

"You call the game. Just so that it is one I know, or one that is easy to learn." She smiled at Sarik, grateful he was able to get rid of the H-Man.

Sarik chuckled to himself and began to think up childhood games...

"Help me come up with some ideas, Karasu! My childhood was one of many books," he laughed as he lay himself down, still trying to think of a game.

Can't make it a physical game...I don't know if I would be able to handle it... He looked at Karasu and smiled before looking at his hand.

I would probably barely be able to handle it...

"I'm not looking at the stars, I'm looking at the space between them." Marlene replied smiling a little. "It can't all be stars and empty space."

Rothargot smiled and looked at Marlene. "And what do you think is in the empty space?"

"I keep thinking Truth or Dare, because a couple copies are playing with Azrael, and having him do a few hysterical things!" Karasu laughed. "Other than that, I have drawn a blank. How about you, Sarik?"

She hoped he had some idea, as other than Truth or Dare she could not come up with anything. They had nothing to play with like and were in a clear 10 foot cube, after all.

"I don't know, but something marvelous I think." She replied knowing nothing of astronomy...yet. "The only problem is that the stars get in the way."

Cadeyrn leaned his head over looking at her.

"The stars aren't good enough?" He chuckled.

"Not for me." She responded giggling. "and what do you mean the dragons are made of stars Rothy?"

Sarik laughed at the game she was playing with Lorathin.

"Well...there isn't much we could play with no paper or pencils...how about a guessing game? Something like you ask me a certain amount of yes or no questions in order to figure out what I'm thinking of..." he asked.

"I don't know, but something marvelous I think." She replied knowing nothing of astronomy...yet. "The only problem is that the stars get in the way."

Cadeyrn leaned his head over looking at her.

"The stars aren't good enough?" He chuckled.

"Not for me." She responded giggling. "and what do you mean the dragons are made of stars Rothy?"


"The ones in the void up there are...as for mortal dragons here...some made by the gods, others by reproduction..." Rothargot replied. She is very smart...there are indeed more objects out there to fill the gaps...And Valtrox is worshipped in many of them... The demon smiled at Marlene. Perhaps one day I shall show her...

"I suppose we could do that, Sarik. Why do you not start by thinking of an object, and I will ask the questions. Should we limit questions to 10? Twenty will take a long time unless you would prefer Twenty questions. What say you?" Karasu asked.

"Ten is fine, Karasu," Sarik laughed. "And I already know what it is..."

He smiled at Karasu, a faint glint of red in his eyes.

"How about I just try answering immediately Sarik? I will not ask a question at all. I most likely am wrong." Karasu stated.

"I believe you are thinking of Valtrox." She glared at the red eyes.

"Of course not!" Sarik laughed nervously as she glared at him. He shifted uncomfortably under her sudden glare. "What's...wrong?"

The storm died down as the cloaked titan pursued his target with relentless speed. His eyes glowed a dark red that pierced through the shadows of his hood. The figure raised his eyes to the starry sky and looked upon the constellation known as "The Warrior."

- - - -- - - -- - - - -

"Dragon biology." Cadeyrn chuckled. "Never knew they were such an complicated species, especially after seeing Relthor in his simple nature."

"What is that constellation Marlene?" He asked.

"The warrior I think, see there's the hilt, and that's the arm." She replied pointing at the various stars.

"Looks like a square to me." The mercenary growled. "Roth, you know anything about Astrology?"

"Relthor? Terrible beast..." Rothargot growled. "He helped end all our previous attempts of getting to the mortal plane...All the "Ageless One's" have...but Relthor and his master played important parts...including the capture of a comrade and the death of him as well..."

"I know what mortals must find themselves," replied Rothargot in response to astrology. "And perhaps a little help from us demi-gods..." He gave them a sly smile he learned from Rimoru.

"You must be joking, Relthor, a beast." Cadeyrn said laughing "Since you hate him so much would it make you happy if I came back with his teeth?"

"Careful Cadey, that attitude lost you your arm." Marlene whimpered.

"Beau was much more vicious than Relthor, you know that too well Marlene." He replied sadly as he recalled his defeat to the once Varvul king.

"What happened the first time Valtrox tried to escape Rothy?" The young girl asked lifting her head off the deck.

He hates being called that. The mercenary thought as everytime she said it, he took jovial pleasure in the demon's slight annoyance.

"You want to dance under the moonlight Azrael?" One of the Karasus asked.

"We can do that." Said the other. "Let us go then. I hope your dancing is a tad bit better than your solo dance!" Both of them broke up laughing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarik, he is in your head now. Your eyes have a bit of red in them." Karasu replied.

Karasu crawled over to Sarik and looked right in his eyes, hers solid black. "Hey, H-boy!" She spoke directly to the demon. "Get the fuck out of Sarik NOW! If you have not figured it out, I am speaking directly to you, you bastard, not to Sarik." She added.

Karasu put her hands on each side of Sarik's head. "Sarik, he is still in there. Do not listen to him. It is not your true conscious when he tells you to kill me. He is trying to fool you. Fight the bastard Sarik!"

"Oh it is." He replied as he offered an arm to both Karasu.

"Why thank you Sir." The two curtsied to Azrael, smiling. "What a gentleman!" One of them remarked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karasu was likely approaching a rage such as that which Sarik experienced. Her rage was at the cowardly Habadebza. The fact that he was torturing Sarik made her all the more angry.

"When Valtrox first attempted to escape...most of the Skizzarish clans were still tiny...the only true empires was Iskan and the Cult. The other nations still existed...but they were tiny compared to what they were now. The dragons worked mostly with the Iskanis, but when Valtrox was summoned, the dragons...and dragoons, were called to battle alongside the Iskanis and the Order...Not to mention the countless Ogre tribes, goblin clans, elves, giants, and thousands of other creatures one could imagine...They invaded and took most of the Cultish Empire, however all the demi-god generals were summoned...and we pushed them far behind their own lines..."

"However, thanks to Relthor and his fatherly figure...they happened to bring armies past the frontlines, and straight to the summoning altar...Leaving mere pathetic mortals to deal with them."

"Us demi-gods came as quickly as possible, suffering deadly losses...but it wasn't soon enough...we were all transported back in the underworld...except for one, who was captured by the Ogres..."

***********************************************************

"Karasu? I do not understand...I feel fine..." Sarik replied as he gently put his hands on her soft hands. His eyes were wide open as he looked into Karasu's beautiful face. He leaned towards her. "Karasu...I cannot detect him..."

Lorathin chuckled as he lead the two to the deck. "Shall we dance now?" He asked them as he decided to cast a spell for tangoesq music to begin playing.

"Both of us at once, Azrael?" One chuckled. "I will sit this one out and watch.

The music was wonderful and surprisingly, when not dancing alone, Azrael was quite a good dancer. Karasus were all good dancers. They had the gift of movement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarik, I can see him. Your eyes are glinting red, sweetie. Be very careful.

Should we start the game over?" She asked Sarik.

"I just want to make sure you are safe Sarik."

I wonder if that is H-Boy now. Sarik is so careful to keep his distance.

"I've read thousands of books on history, why is it I've never heard of this battle?" Marlene asked almost angry.

"I wish I was there." Cadeyrn growled. "Sounds like it was a magnificent war."

"Most of Valtrox's battles are kept from the public...for fear of people finding these sights and defecting to Valtrox...just so they could gain his favor..."

"It was magnificent...and victory was ours if it weren't for the dragons..." Rothargot replied.

***********************************************************

"You still haven't guessed what the item was," he whispered as he closed his eyes. His face inched closer to Karasu's and he could feel her warm breath on his.

"As you wish." He replied as he danced with the one who'd chosen not to sit it out. After the beat wore down, he turned to the other and asked, "Would you like to take your turn now?"

"Dragons are overrated." Cadeyrn grunted. "Why they wouldn't defect to Valtrox is still a mystery to me considering the very mortals they protect have consistantly betrayed them...like me."

"Of course," the other copy curtsied and smiled and began to dance with Azrael while the other watched, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"OK Sarik, I get ten questions." Karasu said. She was ready with her barrier if she needed it. When he brought his face so close to hers, her heart started pounding, and she did want him, but not unless he had feelings for her which surpassed his fiance', and that was not likely.

"First question... Who is moving toward me? Sarik or H-Boy? You must be honest. Sarik if it is you, please do not be offended." Karasu smiled.

This dance was of the waltz variety, with appropriate music to go along with thier dance.

"Dragons remain a mystery to me as well..." Rothargot replied. "Their intentions change mysteriously..."

***********************************************************

"I don't know," Sarik replied as he kissed Karasu gently on the lip. He put his arms around her and gently pushed her to the ground. "But I love you..."

Karasu had a feeling this was H-Boy, however, she found herself unable to resist. She hoped it was Sarik, however Sarik did everything he could to remain faithful to his fiance'.

She kissed him back. He does not know if it is him or not? The warning signs were there, but Sarik's kisses, and his body on top of hers made her weak.

Karasu wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

Sarik began to once again undress Karasu, slowly...savoring the moment... I will hurt her more than any sword could...

"Sarik! Remember your training," barked a deep voice near the door. It was Kalzog. "Karasu, get Lorathin...you're not going to be in there any longer..."

Sarik's eyes lost their red glow in mid kiss. Sarik pulled away slowly, realizing his hands underneath her kimono, gently stroking her soft and smooth skin. "Oh...my..." he whispered, blushing ferociously. He slowly pulled himself away, still somewhat dazed, before helping Karasu tidy herself up. "I don't know what that was...I didn't feel Habdebza.I felt like myself..."

"Oh? Pardon me, my lady!" Ixair replied with a chuckle.

"Fine then...I'll guess...Three hundred and thirty...oh...six. Three hundred and thirty six, my final answer," the elf prince said as he swung lightly around on the rope.

"Nope!" Ar'mai beamed, still not revealing her age. The truth was, there was no simple answer to the question. Actually, there were two answers...

"I was wondering," Karasu looked down, ashamed, "I know you are faithful to your fiance', but... I could not seem to control myself. I am so ashamed Sarik. You were being controlled by a demon... b-but I was not."

The truth was, they both lusted for each other, which made their friendship difficult, but she swore to be his friend, and would never have it any other way.

It terrified her that he could not recognize his posession anymore. Karasu began sobbing.

"Habdebza! You will suffer I swear!" Karasu looked up at the celing and screamed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Karasu dancing with Azrael stopped immediately. "You must get to the room with Karasu and Sarik and get Karasu out immediately. He can no longer tell when Habdebza is in his head!"

They ran to the room... as they ran, they asked... "Azrael, can you do something to get H-Boy out of Sarik?" They looked at him pleadingly.

When they reached the room with Karasu and Sarik, as well as Kalzog at the door, all 20 other Karasus disappeared, and only Karasu was left.

"You have to help him!" Karasu begged with tears in her eyes.

Ixair laughed. "Then I suppose your age will be known only to you," he replied with a broad smile. "Unless you want me to keep going all night?"

Suddenly, some waltz themed music could be heard by Ixair's sharp ears and he looked towards the deck. He noticed the Karasu twins there, along with Lorathin...

"Would you like to have this dance with me?" Ixair smiled as he moved his hand to Ar'mai, palm up.

Lorathin quickl headed to the room with Karasu proper and Sarik. As they asked, he replied, "I can try."

Arriving at the room, he spoke a word and dispelled the force-cage from around Sarik and Karasu.

"So what happened?" He asked as he prepared to, if necessary, re-bubble Sarik.

"Up here?" Ar'mai questioned. "I don't think there is enough room... especially for your clumsiness," she giggled.

Without saying another word, she leapt off of the crow's nest and landed deftly on her feet on the deck below. "Waiting..."

"Clumsiness?" Ixair chuckled as he swung from his rope, doing a flip in the air, landing softly on his feet. Immediately he positioned himself into a bow. "We'll see who's the clumsy one," he chuckled as he held out his palm again.

***********************************************************

Sarik blushed deeply. "I...was...well..."

"Getting a bit too intimate with Karasu," Kalzog growled.

"And that caused an attack of the demon?" Lorathin asked, "And did you come up with anything Kalzog?"

"His eyes turned slightly red before... I could not tell who it was, however I had a feeling that H-boy was in control. Sarik did not know it." Karasu replied sadly.

"He can be cured...as long as he meditates constantly..." Kalzog replied. "Habdebza will not be able to do anything because Sarik is meditating..."

Sarik remained quiet, sending apologetic glances Karasu's ways.

"So no other ways you've found?" He asked, "As that means that it may require some preventative measures if we want Sarik functional, and if Sarik want's to be functional himself."

"How can he be functional if he is meditating all the time?" Karasu asked Azrael.

"Also..." she said slowly, "this means I cannot speak with him and be here for him.

"He did not hurt me. I think H-Boy tried to hurt me emotionally, however, that will not happen." She thought about Relthor. If I can carry the baby of a man who left me I do not think I can be hurt too deeply emotionally. she thought.

"Therein lies the rub." Lorathin replied

"Clumsiness?" Ixair chuckled as he swung from his rope, doing a flip in the air, landing softly on his feet. Immediately he positioned himself into a bow. "We'll see who's the clumsy one," he chuckled as he held out his palm again.

Ar'mai took his palm in hers and as the music started up again, they began dancing.

The music would speed up every so often forcing them to do the same with their steps, tempting them to the limit... who would break first?

Ixair smiled calmly as the two elves kept pace with the ever changing music. Despite the complicated steps, the two elves continued, not even breaking a sweat. Something only the elegance of the elves can do.

"You're a very good dancer," he said as he twirled Ar'mai around him.

"Azrael, can we not exorcize this demon? I personally want to beat it to death. Sarik does not deserve this." Karasu took this time when he was not in the bubble to go to him and hug him. She was crying.

"Sarik, we will figure something out. I will if I have to die doing it! It seems H-boy wants to hurt me, not you. Why? I would not know. I am no threat to him." Karasu stated, as she hugged Sarik tight and tried to soothe him, rubbing his back, repeating the mantra, "It is going to be OK." over and over.

"You have to take exorcizing up with a priest, as the only spell I have is just as likely to send Sarik with it when it deals with the demon." Lorathin replied

Karasu heard Azrael, and continued to hold Sarik, tears falling down her face. He was the one who was kindest to her when she met the group, and they had grown to know each other well, and become close... maybe more than close. She could not stand to see him suffer.

"No Azrael, there must be something! Where do we find a priest? I will go get one immediately if you can tell me where I may find one." She told Azrael.

"Also what is this spell you speak of?" She asked.

"Sarik, I will stick with you no matter what. If you must continue meditating... Perhaps I may meditate with you. I will do anything to help you, and I will never leave you alone, even if I have to fight H-boy." Karasu reassured Sarik. "I care very much about you, and I will do everything in my power to help you, my friend."

"I think Shara or Ar'mai might qualify and have the ability to exorcise a demon." He replied, "And the spell is aptly named, banishment."

"Will you get one of them Azrael!?" Karasu asked disgustedly. He seemed so lazy. "Also, an explanation of the dangers to Sarik would be nice." she added.

"Fine." He said as he departed to go and find Ar'mai. Spotting her dancing, he asked, "Would you qualify as a priest Ar'mai?" He asked

Shara had woken from her sleep, and was wandering the decks looking for Harlin when she came upon Azrael. She heard his inquiry towards Ar'mai, and responded in her stead. "I'm not sure about Ar'mai... but I would certainly qualify as a priestess."

"Then please come with me, you can help. Especially if you can exorcise a demon." He replied as he gestured for her to follow him to Sarik's room.

Shara nodded. "I've never tried an exorcism before, but I know the rites of exorcism. It would help if I had some powerful holy item though... I can't think of any we have around though."

Karasu turned and responded to Shara, "I think this is a Holy Item. It was given to me by Rimoru to put a protective barrier around me." She handed her the crystal necklace.

Shara considered it for a second, "It might work. I'll give it a try."

"Wait a second Shara!" Karasu asked. "Azrael said this could harm or banish Sarik as well... is this true, or is this the spell he was speaking of. I am becoming confused by all of this. I want to make sure Sarik is not harmed, and if it appears that H-boy is banished, that he is really gone, and not faking."

"A priest's spell shouldn't provide any complication, it's the mage varient that is dangerous to Sarik." Lorathin said, "My banishing of the demon is quite likely to take Sarik with it, Shara's shouldn't.

"Uh...guys..." Sarik said nervously as he began to push himself away from the others. "I can perform an exorcism myself...no need to wake you all up for me."

I am being such a hazard...and everyone else...they remain so kind to me...

The Paladin was feeling really sick, especially with the word exorcism...it wasn't just now...whenever he heard the word and especially did one, he would feel sickened. "I'm fine, guys...I'm fine..."

"Attention on deck! Ship has been spotted to the Northeast! Prepare weapons...this is not a drill!" came the voice through the speakers along the ship. Sarik sighed with relief.

Shara smiled... convenient timing? "We'll just have to perform this exorcism later I guess. Now we should man our battle stations?"

"Err...Of course...but I don't know what stations to-"

Suddenly, the door burst open, and several guards bowed. "Good evening, guests. We would like to invite you to watch this warship in motion. We will find out what is on the other ship, and if it's who you're looking for, we'll sink them like they were nothing..."

Sarik nodded to the others and remained on his bed, breathing hard. Why do exorcisms make me sick? What is wrong with me?

You wouldn't like the answers came a deep voice in his mind.

Habdebza...why do you torture me? Why do you do such to me?

All in good time, Sarik...But a warning...do not get that sword...That will be all...

And by the way, I am anxious to see you all in person...soon... With that, a terrible laugh echoed in Sarik's mind. He felt as though someone froze his brain before he heard a sudden pop.

***********************************************************

Rimoru yawned loudly as she was reclined in her massive cushioned throne. Things had grown boring over the past few days everyone had left. Maverion had remained in the cot, in a comatose state...She knew he was still alive, but wanted him to rest as much as he could...he had died after all...

The Iskani Empress had actually felt terribly sick the past few days...even her necklace only helped her a little...

"Ugh..." she moaned as she let herself slide a little down her throne. "I am too hot! Guards, fan me!"

Immediately, two nearby guards were startled as their pikes turned into giant feathers. They ran to Rimoru's sides and immediately fanned her with cool air. Which only served to darken the Empress' mood.

"I am to cold! Go back to your positions!" she growled as the two guards immediately ran to their original positions, their feathers turning back into pikes.

"Someone give me something to...ugh," she looked at her stomach as it gurgled loudly. Suddenly her eyes widened and she closed her mouth, leaping out of her throne and darting down the hall, slipping and sliding as she went, before closing the door to the bathroom. The sounds of sickness echoed through the halls.

Rimoru had not felt so bad in so long...

"Told you ya shoulda taken a shower today," One guard told the other.

Relthor had been wandering the desert for several days now.

He had begun the search in the air, but had no luck at all. Now, he took to walking on foot, in attempt to see things more clearly on the ground...

And now here he was, lost in the desert, parched and dry. The Ageless One muttered something to himself, sadly trudging along when he came across a cave. With a shout of joy, he ran for it, immediately embracing the cold debths of the large cave.

Then, he realized something...this was the cave he and Karasu had first made love...

Relthor sat down sadly as he looked around...nothing but sad memories. "Karasu...why'd I leave you?" he asked aloud, echoing around the cave walls, as if mocking him.

"My Karasu...where are you? How are you?" he sobbed as he rocked back and forth. He looked to the cave entrance as a beautiful figure came in. She had lucious curves, tanned skin, black hair...tight leather suit...Karasu.

"My love!" Relthor shouted as he leapt at her, embracing her tightly and kissing her passionately...

Only to be greeted with a mouthful of sand...a golem he must have accidently created...

Relthor felt hot tears fall down his face as he walked away slightly from the golem. She had seemed so real...she even gave him a kind, yet concerned face. He felt her soft skin wipe away a tear, before giving him a gentle, yet sandy kiss on the cheek.

"Karasu...I miss you..." he sobbed as he held the golem lightly. She was not his love...and yet she still came in his time of need.

Koryl, who was waiting near the navigator, closed his eyes and pointed. If Marlene was on the ship they had found, she should be close enought that his hand would move slightly as the angle between the vessel he rode and her location shifted.

T'zark, Boliad, and Verton rushed to the deck and looked off toward the North-East as the alarm was called.

OOC: Haven't had time to post, partly because of visiting relatives and partly because of general busyness. My apologies.

Karasu noticed the look on Sarik's face when exorcism was mentioned. "H-boy, I know you are in there. Sarik, do not listen to him!"

Karasu ran after Shara. "Shara, "H-boy is inside Sarik, that is why he does not want an exorcism and says he will 'do it himself'. He is in terrible danger! Please please let us stay with him and do the exorcism. We cannot leave him alone, and you still have my holy item anyway." Karasu begged Shara to come back.

"Shara, Sarik may sabatoge the ship under H-boy's orders!" Karasu ran back and looked at Sarik. "I am sorry Sarik. H-boy is talking to you and trying to get you to do his bidding... he is sickened by the idea of exorcism, are you not, H?" Karasu spoke to H-boy directly. "That is what I thought." Karasu was not feeling too well herself. She ran out the door across to the railing and threw up.

Oh man, this sucks. Karasu went back in with Sarik.

"Karasu...no...he is done with me!" Sarik replied as he got out of his bed. He noticed Karasu looking quite sick.

"Karasu...your pregnancy is hitting you," Sarik said as he put his arm around the dragon queen. "Lay down...don't worry about me. Look, I am under control...I can be an inch from your face and control myself better."

He smiled as he brought his face an inch from hers. Although the desire to kiss her still burned in him, he pulled away with a broad smile.

Suddenly, he grew serious and looked Karasu in the eyes. "Karasu...don't let them perform an exorcism on me...I never liked them...never liked to perform them myself...but I will do it...and should anything go wrong, don't worry, because then the Patriarch will do it. He'll know exactly how to fix it. Not that I do not have faith in Shara, she is a wonderful healer...but I fear I'll knock her out again."

***********************************************************

Kalzog walked up on deck with a broad smile as he saw several cauldron looking contraptions pop out of the floor along the rails.

"It's always fun to watch a new way of killing..."

Karasu got out of the bed and stood up. "I am fine. You are not. Look at your fear of exorcism. Shara will perform it." Karasu said sternly, expecting H-Boy to attack.

Speaking of attacks, she did not know what her battle station was. No one told anybody what they were supposed to do.

Sarik closed his eyes and shook his head. "He is no longer in me, Karasu. Now come, join me on deck for the 'show'." he said as he extended his hand to her.

***********************************************************

Ixair and Ar'mai were dancing ferociously, twirling and almost gliding across the floor in an almost fluid-like motion.

The music soon ended, Ixair's arm around Ar'mai's waist as she leaned back, his face close to hers.

He smiled and took several deep breaths. "I haven't yet met someone who can dance as well as you, Ar'mai," he chuckled quietly as he looked into her beautiful eyes. He slowly brought her back up and bowed elegantly again. "It was an honor to dance with you, Princess Ar'mai," he said formally, smirking as he bowed.

"OK Sarik, I am interested in seeing this, however, I believe our ship to be sabatoged... just a feeling." Karasu told Sarik... and likely H-Boy.

"Shara! Come watch this with us!" she yelled. Karasu then whispered that the demon was indeed inside Sarik and terrified of an exorcism and it must be done tonight. "He is pretending not to be in there, and he is taking over Sarik's mind." Karasu said sadly. "We need the others. This is extremely dangerous!" She whispered frantically.

He smiled and took several deep breaths. "I haven't yet met someone who can dance as well as you, Ar'mai," he chuckled quietly as he looked into her beautiful eyes. He slowly brought her back up and bowed elegantly again. "It was an honor to dance with you, Princess Ar'mai," he said formally, smirking as he bowed.

"And with you... Prince Ixair," Ar'mai replied as she did her best formal courtsey.

When she turned, her eyes spotted the ship that they had been trudging after. The battle would soon be at hand... one way or another.

"Who would sabotauge our ship?" Sarik asked with a smile. Why do I get the feeling she doesn't believe me? I am almost certain I have no demon inside of me... he thought worriedly.

***********************************************************

Ixair smiled as he looked to where Ar'mai turned and noticed the ship. "Ahh...battle is at hand. Ar'mai, may I suggest you prepare for it? I would hate to see you hurt."

A fellow sailor walked to the captain and bowed. "Your weapon, Capt'n," he said as he handed the elf a long metal tube with several tanks attached to the rifle butt.

"Many thanks. Make sure everyone is in position. Has Koryl concluded the target?"

"Aye, sir..."

"Excellent."

Karasu replied to Sarik, "That gnome, Mebbwick, who refuses to let us in the engine room. He is the one I am concerned about."

Ar'mai was about to depart for her cabin to retrieve her weapons when she noticed Ixair's 'weapon.' "What is that?" she asked confused as she stared at the metal tubing.

Sarik laughed quietly. "Come now, Karasu. I do not think the gnome would sabotauge his own creations...his ego is to large and he would say they are un-sabotaugable..." he chuckled as he hooked his arm around the beautiful Karasu.

"Come, let's watch your best friend Inzikai try to swim..."

***********************************************************

Rothargot heard a distant calling behind their ship. He quietly walked to the back of their ship and saw distant lights...along with some smokey substance coming from the top of the ship.

Is it on fire? Why are they coming so close?


Inzikai silently walked up next to the demi-god and looked out. He cursed under his breath and looked at Rothargot. "I want them stopped...I doubt they are traders..."

Ar'mai was about to depart for her cabin to retrieve her weapons when she noticed Ixair's 'weapon.' "What is that?" she asked confused as she stared at the metal tubing.


"This, is another invention of our favorite little gnome, Mebbiwik" Ixair chuckled as he twirled it in his hand. "It uses pressure from these tanks to fire some sort of projectile at high speeds at an enemy...Like a crossbow, but supposedly more powerful."

He smiled and held it out to Ar'mai. "Care to give it a try?"

"OK Sarik, but I want a kick-ass weapon!" Karasu said excitedly, knowing H-boy was still in there, even if Sarik did not.

"What weapon do I get! I want something huge that will cause massive damage!" Karasu told the men who ran the ship.

He smiled and held it out to Ar'mai. "Care to give it a try?"

Ar'mai looked at the invention apprehensively. "I... I'd rather stick to what I know," she said with an awkward smile before heading off to her cabin to retrieve her weapons.

Ixair laughed and nodded as Ar'mai went to her cabin. "Man all cannons!" he shouted as sailors scrambled to the cauldron-like cannons.

***********************************************************

"Well, little lady," laughed one of the sailors. "I suppose you can man this cannon," he motioned to one closest to the other ship.

"Me?" Karasu answered. "Wonderful, I cannot wait! Check this out Sarik!" She grinned and was excited to see what this cannon did.

Lorathin headed up onto the deck to see what the commotion was about.

Cadeyrn sprinted to the end of the ship next to Inzikai and Rothargot.

"That is definately not a trading vessel, no ship designed that big can move that fast. Looks like a small warship from here." He growled eyeing the fast approaching vessel.

"Marlene, get below deck!" He barked as the girl darted into the lower cabins.

As the klaxons began to sound, Harlin opened his eyes and grinned. "Finally," he said aloud before heading to the far railing to watch the vessel they were quickly gaining on. "Perhaps now I can make that bastard Cadeyrn regret joining Valtrox. He has only one weakness though... and that is Marlene. I wonder how he would react if I pilfered his little friend."

Minos walked up and stepped to the railing behind Harlin, staff in hand. The Jiltak Eye set in it burned with the massive amounts of energy the small stone contained. Minos looked at Harlin and then at the cord wrapped around Harlin's neck. Reaching over, he pulled the small pendant that Centurus Froms had given to Harlin when he had been dispatched on this mission.

Minos smiled. "I'd say now is the time for you to learn what this does." He gestured at the Jiltak Hand that now hung outside of Harlin's robes.

Harlin looked at his friend and mentor, and asked, "Will you teach me?"

Minos chuckled, "No, the Jiltak Artifacts can not be taught, you must learn from experience. When you attempt what you are about to, do not forget the power that you hold in that pendant."

Harlin nodded before heading off to explain his plan to Sarik.

Shara, meanwhile, was standing behind Karasu who was now gleefully manning the can-non as they called it. It looked big and akward, but the way the light glimmered off it's polished black length suggested great power. Shara was interested in seeing it work.

Harlin came upon Sarik justthen as well. "Sarik, I'm going to go kidnap Marlene."

ooc: Is this kosher?

ooc: I don't mind, as long as Luporem doesn't mind.

Sarik's eyes widened. "Kidnap? Well...as long as you don't hurt her," he said quietly as he looked to the ship.

"Ready the cannons!" shouted a sailor. Immediately after, a deep humming could be heard underneath the floor.

***********************************************************

"Get the ballistae! Or a catapult! Get me something that can attack that ship!" growled Inzikai.

Rothargot studied the ship and looked towards Inzikai. "Give me ten minutes and I may have a few demons to help us," he rumbled.

"Do it!"

With that, Rothargot jumped on deck and immediately lightly burned a circle around him before stepping out of it. Soon, a deep rumbling emminated from within the demon.

Harlin looked at the Jiltak Hand once more, and then back at Sarik. "I have a feeling that everything will be alright. She won't be hurt."

ooc: Go ahead but getting to her would be difficult as I imagine. Not to mention if Roth or Cade see you it's gonna hurt.

"When do we fire off these cannon things?" Karasu asked. I guess I need to know when.

ooc: That's what the talisman is for.

Harlin had returned to the deck, and looked down at the water. Minos was still standing there, so he went to talk to him.

"I know how to run on water, but you usually start at the same level. I don't think that I could have enough speed when I hit to continue forward. You think you could help me on this one?"

Minos looked at him and smiled, his eyes going from normal to brilliant white as Harlin was buffeted off the ship and into the air by an intense wind. "Make sure you're ready when you get there." Then, Harlin was surging forward under the surface of the water; a human torpedo powered by Minos' elemental control.

His movement didn't disturb the surface of the water, and he hoped that everyone on the other ship was too focused on the rapidly approaching steam ship, and not on the water. He could feel himself beginning to slow, and then noticed the keel of the ship in front of him. Then, he was lifted lightly out of the water, just high enough that he could grab onto a porthole, and hang on to the side of the boat.

Immediately, he entered the Shadowfold. As he climbed over the railing, he saw the passengers transfixed on the steamship, and smiled. Thank Arcturus for that distraction. His progression went unnoticed, as only another Jiltakin who was in the Shadowfold at the same time could have seen him.

Quickly, he scanned the deck. Not there, damn. Carefully, he headed below deck. His search was fruitless for several suspenseful minutes. Anytime now, the ship would be in range of the cannons. Finally, he reached a door that was cracked open. Sliding inside, he saw the little girl. She sat at a small desk, tinkering with a small gadget.

Stepping behind her, he exited the Shadowfold.

He clamped his hand down over her mouth, and whispered in her ear, "Hush little one, I'm not going to hurt you."

A minute later, Ar'mai reappeared on deck fully suited for battle. Her blades were attached, her quiver slung around her back and full of the metal tipped arrows, and her bow was raised skillfully in her hand... ready to strike.

Karasu stood next to Shara and Sarik, ready to light the cannon when the order was given. I wonder what this thing does? She also knew Sarik was still posessed. He was too self-assured and content. H-boy does not know how to mimic a true being's emotions.

"Aim!" shouted the officers on deck. "Fire!"

Suddenly, there was a deafening boom as five cannons shot off at once, steam bursting from behind the cannonball.

Inzikai growled as he noticed the projectiles approaching. Then, one hit, smashing through the railing nearby. Another smashed through a window below deck. They punctured several more holes before Inzikai growled. "Where are my catapults? How can we fight back if we don't have anything to fight back with?" he shouted in anger.

***********************************************************

Sarik watched the other sailors blast their cannons at the ship.

"Karasu, you are just like a child..." Sarik laughed as he examined the controls. There was just one strange red rope. "I suppose you pull the rope when you're ready to launch..."

"This is a trading ship, we don't have any weapons, nothing that could sink a warship anyway. Just like them to fire on a ship that can't fire back, fucking cowards." Cadeyrn growled wrenching the sword off his back. "They better pray they hit me with one of those cannons before even thinking boarding this ship."

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Marlene began squirming viciously as she clawed, kicked, and punched anything in sight. Her scream was muffled but still considerably loud.

"I am not like a kid," Karasu grinned, "I am just interested in new weapons technology. These are great!" She yelled over the din as she shot her cannon.

"Fire in the hole!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

ooc: You see, Karasu came up with that phrase.:p

Inzikai's ship was being torn apart from the cannons...and yet they could do nothing against the barrage. Suddenly a low growl could be heard from behind him.

Rothargot had summoned three flying demons and four land demons. The land demons were hulking four armed, muscle-bound, beasts with tusks, while the flying demons were smaller, and had large batlike wings, birdlike claws and six different arms, starting from the middle of it's belly. The set closest to the beast's legs were more like daggers, the set above, long three fingered hands, and the topmost set, scythes.

"They are ready," Rothargot growled weakly. His fire was clearly not its usual size. The summoning must have taken its toll on the demon.

"Flying units, kill everything on that ship!" growled Inzikai.

With a terrible screech, the three flying demons set out for the enemy ship at incredible speeds, swerving and dodging any cannonballs that approached them.

Rothargot turned around and walked down to the lower decks...he thought he had heard something down there. The land demons followed behind.

Karasu looked up. "Something is flying from their ship over here!" She yelled and alerted everyone.

"Perhaps Ar'mai can take them down." She suggested.

Harlin held the girl fast, the scratches and punches having little effect through his leather armor. The scream on the other hand was a completely different issue. He had to get the girl off the ship now, before the others came to see what was going on. How to extricate himself from the situation was eluding him at the moment though.

He covered her mouth more firmly making a better seal. "Why do you scream such? When I said I wouldn't hurt you, I spoke the truth."

"Stay by the entrance," Rothargot growled before he walked down, his form shifting so he could fit better. He could hear some shuffling nearby. "Marlene..." he growled as he burst through a door, his eyes registering on man holding Marlene tightly.

"Put her down," growled Rothargot, his eyes narrowing.

"Everyone!" Karasu screamed. "Should we not try to shoot down those nasty looking beings that are flying over here... most likely demons sent by Inzi!" She screamed loud enough between cannon blasts so everyone could hear and take a look.

Oh man, and H-boy is standing next to me! Karasu ran off and put on her fighting clothes and weapons, being sure to have the pendant on.

Ixair noticed the demons approaching fast. Several men attempted to fire the cannons at them to no avail. They were to fast.

"Keep your cannons concentrated on the ship! Riflemen, shoot down the demons!" Ixair barked as he raised his own rifle. He licked his thumb and felt for any sort of wind. Adjusting for the wind presence, he aimed and fired.

The bullet was dead on, smacking into the demon's chest, where most mortal's hearts would be.

Apparantly, it had little effect on the demon as it continued going in their direction. The nearby sailors also unleashed their bullets on the creatures, still having little affect. The demons flew at an extremely low level, soaring past Ixair, picking up sailors and slashing them to bits, their remains falling on deck. Ixair fired another bullet at the demon heading towards him. Again, it had little or no affect as the creature rammed into Ixair, it's claws extended in an attempt to pick him up.

The elven prince, however, had his rifle in a horizontal position, letting it grab hold of it. The demon let our a high pitched screech and used it's dagger like arms to try to stab Ixair, however he kicked the beast off of him and rolled to his feet, pulling out an elegant elven sword that seemed to sing as he twirled it.

The demon growled at it smashed into the nearby wall and immediately righted itself up. It once again flew towards Ixair, who sidestepped the demon, and slashed downwards, taking off one of its scythe arms and one of its dagger arms.

The demon squeeled in pain as it took to the air again.

"Everyone!" Karasu screamed. "Should we not try to shoot down those nasty looking beings that are flying over here... most likely demons sent by Inzi!" She screamed loud enough between cannon blasts so everyone could hear and take a look.

Oh man, and H-boy is standing next to me! Karasu ran off and put on her fighting clothes and weapons, being sure to have the pendant on.


The nearby sailor scowled as Karasu ran off without a word. He looked at Sarik and cursed. "I hate cowards..."

Sarik looked at him wide eyed, then to Karasu's fleeing figure. "Well...she's getting something..." he replied quietly. Where did you go? Why are you running in the heat of battle?

The paladin slowly walked around the cannon and wrapped his fingers around the cannon rope. He moved the cannon slightly and pulled.

Sarik laughed happily as using this strange technology gave him a sense of excitement...he felt like Karasu.

Karasu multiplied ten times, and took out her various weapons, all doubled, using them in her acrobatic manner, slashing at the demons no matter what level they were at. What she really wanted was one of those rifles that Ixair had. If only it could shoot in succession. She thought.

"Sarik, do something!" She yelled, as he was next to one of the Karasus.

One of the Karasus kept bombarding the other ship. She wished she had telekinesis and could make it sink.

"Karasu! Get one of your copies to man this...I'm going to get my arms!" he called out to her, letting another cannonball loose.

Let me confuse them some more... She added a Karasu to the cannon... (she was already there), then she added 50 random soldiers looking like Ixair, guns and all.

The Karasus continued to slash the hell out of the demons, while the copies of herself and the others confused them and wasted their time.