SRMVR

[Tree]

Time looked around suspiciously after Fate disappeared, spinning completely around before deciding that she was really gone. At that point, one could have nearly seen his tension melt into a big puddle on the floor. With a grin infecting his face, he gave a little cheer and disappeared to he only knew where. It didn't take him long to decidedly forget what he was supposed to remind Fate of.



Harmony just laughed softly, twirling a midnight blue lock around her finger as she leaned back on her lounge. Her scales were seemingly forgotten for now, but every so often one might swear there was just a millimeter of movement as though they ran themselves. Whether this was true or not... Well, Harmony wasn't really one to tell secrets. Secrets won wars - they upset the balance when told.



"And to think that they say he was born grown up." She smiled ruefully. Irony had long since stopped amusing her.



Kiaati's gentle arms were wrapped around the child as though clinging to him for not only her life, but his as well. The woman was afraid for him, but, strangely, she was afraid of him too. There was something about his presence that made her quake. It was something that caused her a sort of physical pain, almost like his life hurt her. It was strange how all of these feeling flowed though her, into her. It felt like she was in a world of twins and inversions. This didn't make sense.



Her fingers pressed gently into the nape of his neck as she listened to his soft murmurings. She had her Xamein, and she didn't want to let go. The longer she held, though, the more distant she felt. It was like floating away into dreams. Except that she was already dreaming. Her skin tingled as she looked upon her child, studying his face as she broke apart into a million tiny specks of pale, silvery light. It was not until she could see him before her, nor feel him in her arms, that she began to weep again.



Kiaati's body gave the tiniest of shivers beneath Zandra's cloak as her spirit settled back into its place. There was no physical sign about her of what had happened - at least not externally. Inside herself, however, Kiaati drifted in that place where memories roamed, sometimes stretching in fantastic exaggeration of dreams.



Ariel didn't say anything else, not wholly convinced but near enough. She just gave a sort of muffled whimper into Zandra's chest and used her free hand to grab Zandra's hand. The girl, as old as she seemed, was merely a child after all. She held tight to the woman's hand for a long time until she had drifted too. Only then did her tiny hand release the long fingers, her thumb finding its way to her mouth. The child's other hand, however, was still firmly wound around Zandra's dress. This kid wasn't letting go.



~~~



Drandar was first aware of a twisting pain in his gut as he came to. His eyebrows scrunched together in great displeasure as he slowly rolled over onto his back. He was only able to force his eyes open a crack before it overwhelmed him.



"Uggghhhh! I'm so hungrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry!" He gripped his stomach, which (as though cued) growled loudly. His green eyes were red around the edges as he forced them open the rest of the way. The sunlight wasn't too offending. He had gone to sleep just after sunrise... that meant it was now nearing sunset. Groggily his eyes drifted around: Zandra had Ariel in her arms, Kiaati was sleeping under Zandra's cloak, and there was a familiar warmth in his shirt pocket. Drandar sat up slowly, gripping his stomach still. He groaned.



"And my leg hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrts." He wasn't very good at whining normally, but right now was an exception. "And I'm hungrrrrrrrrrry!"









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



Fate looked to Harmony, light twinkle in her eyes as she opted for silence, fingers playing in the ever changing waters, lightly blowing over the surface, watching the ripples collide.



Soon she had her entire hand suspended about the water, watching the ripples play out in every which way, simply to the ripple effect people had on their lives, colors changing with each movement as her eyes started to sparkle a bit more.Of all the things upon this earth, water ripples are the best. Really, no consequences, and yet, they act as everything else in galaxy, acting, reacting, effecting everything. Poetry in motion.



Absently Death dismissed Xamien's lock in his realm, making it so he'd be released to his mother's side once she woke in the real world, settling down with a nice book to read. Drandar Condrilan Oh, this should be a lovely read.





Zandra looked up at Drandar as he woke, rubbing Ariel's back, smiling softly as her love proclaimed he was hungry, not surprised in the least, attempting to move Ariel to tend to the other child {Drandar}. However, she now found her chest all but falling out of her clothes everytime she even shifted her weight. oh, lovely......



Giving herself a few moments to carefully move to uncurl the babe's fingers from her shirt, this being a bigger battle then orginally expected. None the less she won, laying the girl down, rummaging in her cloak to pull out some food, prodding Drandar when she had things set up, to start the fire so she could cook the food, trying to let her magic reserves replenish fully.



As he obliged her, Zandra was soon cooking up food for everyone. Rummaging about in her cloak she soon had plates and utensils and was ready to laddel up the food, in the middle of handing the food to Drandar when a voice made her blood run cold.



"Ello, runaway Queen."



The plate never made it to Drandar's hand as Zandra spun about, eyes falling on the body to the voice. Aszeran. Leering over her as if she were no older the the sleeping Ariel on the ground, ______ slowly took a step towards Zandra.





Zandra swallowed slightly, mind racing, trying to pin why she hadn't noticed his approach sooner, looking to the sleeping forms on the ground, barely glancing to Drandar as one word was circling her mind. pretzels.

[Tree]

(( It's not overly long, but you can definitely reply. ALSO!!!!! When you hit 'Preview post' it shows a black wall. It's still coding the letters black. Could you fixie please? ))

[Sushi]

((I fixed the coding issue and helped you out on the name end of things. ^_~))



Drandar was practically starving, and watching his food fall to the ground was devastating. Drandar, who was rather cranky overall from recent conditions, looked down at it with a crestfallen expression. This look, however, lasted only a moment before he looked up, fire dancing in his eyes and a growl creeped up his throat. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled as he set angry eyes upon Aszeran, having no idea exactly who he was.



"Take a number. She's busy right now." His voice was low and filled with irritant as he clenched his fists. It one were paying attention, they could see tiny flashes of fire sparking around his knuckles.



Opal flitted around Drandar, having woken up and been waiting for food herself. The little pixie's expression turned to worry at this sudden turn in events. She didn't how Drandar was so touchy right now; she was afraid he might change. And this stranger... well he was just one of those people who simply looked like trouble.



Kiril, once again only a little black cat, wound around Zandra's ankles, looking up at the new arrival with wary golden eyes. His tail wrapped around the woman's leg gently, waiting to see what exactly was going on. He had gotten his charges this far, but he was still prepared for the worst.



Both the talk and the smell of food roused Ariel. She yawned wide and stretched slightly, pulling her thumb from her mouth. As she sat up, she was confused by the expressions about her. As she pulled a lock of her messily arranged hair from her face, she was trying to understand what she had missed.



The unease of the voices reach Kiaati in her slumber and she stirred slightly. She normally wasn't a heavy sleeper, and she didn't sleep for long - she was trying to wake up. She didn't entirely wake up, though; she wasn't quite to the point of being able to. However, an almost inaudible moan slipped across her lips as her cheek pressed further towards the dirt. On some level the woman was aware of the foul aftertaste in her mouth, and she stuck out her tongue. In a sluggish movement, Kiaati drew it back in and spit out the dirt she had licked up.



That was enough to give her at least a vague awareness. Her eyes cracked just a bit, revealing an extremely bloodshot sliver. The woman's slender fingers grasped deftly at the cloak covering her. Perhaps her intention was to hand it to Zandra. Maybe she had been preparing to rip it to shreads. She might have even been about to ball it up and throw it at Aszeran, who she recognized on some subconscious level. No one would ever know, for at that moment her hand just drooped back down and her eyes closed as the redhead slipped away again.

[Tree]

Gabriel sighed softly, knocking the man they { Angelica, Thad, and himself} had been dragging along for Kiaati to determine what to do with, now looking over the new threat at hand. And my Chosen is beyond the ability to rouse. This is going to be such a mess. Gabriel was normally silent, and optimistic, however, lately he was learning the task of taking care of his Chosen was more like being a glorified parent, rather then a body guard. Without the scolding, grounding, discipline-ness stuff. Or, that's how he saw it at any rate.



Thad watched the man's knees buckle beneath him and him become zero threat before his attention fell to Drandar, this time in one of his more serious mind sets. Something about one's Chosen choosing now to be a bit more assertive was drawing Thad from his normally leisurely mood to a bit more aggressive, arms slowly crossing into a 'bring it' kind of mind set. Not that he was visible.....



Angelica looked at her Chosen in shock, the raw fear rolling off the woman near intoxicating, the loathing and contempt something rivaled only by the fear.The look on Zandra's face one the woman didn't know how to pin, nor one she wanted to ever see again.Currently unsure how to act, or what to do to help her Chosen, Angelica remained still, watching with uncertain disdain.





Chaos smiled wide, chuckling darkly, eyes sparkling like black diamonds in the moonlight, watching as one minor movement on his little chest board of the world sent so many tendrils of chaos into so many lives. Oh, I could unravel the entire planet if I'm not careful. Oh the joy...... All the world crumbling at my feet, people scream, death, complete anarchy, pandemonium raining over everything......







Looking to the food contents scattered all over the ground, Zandra's mouth was dry as she glanced up at __________, moving to pick up Ariel and hold the child close, glance to Drandar, then to Kiaati, then back to Drandar, thinking him a fool for talking as he was, but certainly not having a clue what to do right now her own self. It might have been as simple as her brain wasn't prepared for this, it might have been she was simply scared of this man in a way she couldn't help. Whatever the reason, Zandra simply pulled the little girl tighter to her chest, unable to make herself do much more.











__________ leered over Zandra, watching her closely, Attention only switching targets when Drandar had the nerve to speak. Eyes shooting daggers, ____ shifted his stance slightly, weighing Drandar, then chuckling softly.



"I already took my number. I just happen to be number 1."

[Sushi]

Drandar's pupils flattened, the bright green darkening a shade. He could sense Zandra's fear - it had something to do with how closely bonded they had become. The man didn't like it at all, even though he didn't recognize the Captain from the one time they had encountered before. He did know, however, that there should be no reason for Zandra to fear anyone, and this 'anyone' happened to have picked the wrong dinner to spoil.



"You know what they say: if at first you don't succeed, try try again. I can't blame her." The demon's words were coated with implication and acid. He was oriented just slightly in front of the woman, his shoulders squared with a solid chip settled upon them. He rippled his fingers, the knuckles cracking.



Ariel gently grasped at Zandra, watching with curious eyes. The child was pretty smart, but she had yet to realize the danger that she was in. Then again, who could hold that against her? She was but a child, and children are innately trusting in their naivete.



Opal, however, was not at all so unaware. At some point along the line, a great deal of her childlike thoughts had disappeared. The young pixie was a child at heart, there was no doubt of that, but all the same she had gained a more serious perspective. She now hovered protectively over Drandar's shoulder, a bit of pixie dust showering down with every beat of her wings.



Harmony sat on her chair with her sapphire eyes seemingly staring off into into space. The woman absently reached up, twirling one of her midnight curls around her finger as her scales quivered back and forth on their own. With a slight sigh, she shook her head.



"I have to admit that sometimes he gets on my nerves." That was really putting it mildly. Chaos was the bane of her existance, but Harmony wasn't the type to express such extremes. The childlike terrachronan was a milder presence, but was all too aware of the toying below.



If Kiaati had been awake (as she had tried very hard to be) then she would have been struck yet again with that eerie sense of deja vu. Every little thing, every little step was leading them in a circle. Once before had Captian Aszeran surprised the party. Once before had Drandar lashed out against him. Her life was repeating itself.

[Tree]

Zandra swallowed harder as she held the child closer to her chest, heart racing as her breathing slowly started to catch now and again before it would just stop entirely, .. then eventually start again. Her mind was racing at such a speed, in nothing short of a pure freak attack, that it was 100% impossible to get her to make any kind of sense or rash decision at the moment as she tried to process what was happening before her.



Aszeran leered slightly as he heard Drandar's 'whitty' response, eyes glimmering as he considered Drandar once more, brushing him off as if he weren't even there. It took him mere moments to acknowledge everyone in his presence, including the unconscious rebellion leader, and his former little skank.



Taking a step forward, stepping to the offered challenge, the arrogance and out-right power was rolling off Aszeran in such intoxicating waves as suffocate anyone in the present vicinity. To his minor surprise he watched Zandra glaring daggers at him, even through her obvious terror, half expecting her to hurl the little rugrat in her arms at him and bolt.



Not caring what Zandra's problem was, ruling her out as a threat, his attention continued to rest upon the only person even remotely interesting at this moment. Drandar. The only issue happened to be was that he was in no way threatened by this 'child'.



"I've got you, on every level. Do you really wanna challenge the my current title as #1?"



Aszeran questioned, hands poised in such a way that if Drandar did move, he'd find himself in a loosing battle, and quickly.



Slowly the vile repulsion was bubbling up in Zandra's stomach as she heard the words fall from Aszeran's mouth, eyes wondering to Drandar, pure concern filling any part of her not consumed by fear. Heart now working over-time to flood her system with more blood, breathing finally starting to come in sharp intervals, knuckles white as she was vowing to herself if something happened to Drandar she'd flood this entire planet rather then let this mishap of nature live for another second.





Angelica was trying to keep herself steady as she felt the mood shifts in Zandra, seriously glad the woman wasn't like, pregnant or something ontop of that or she'd die. These moods rose out of the blue faster then dandelions. As annoying as crabgrass, and as impossible to predict as the weather, Angelica considered the compassion, concern, and near suicidal terror coming from Zandra, wondering if she should locate a straight jacket. Last thing I need is her to think that life is pointless, or get so spooked she decides that taking her life is easier. Known fact or not, it wouldn't be the first time Zandra had considered the easy way out from things in that manner. Not on my watch.

[Sushi]

Drandar's eyes narrowed slightly as he registered the other demon's movements. Granted, Zandra could kick his butt any day and Kiaati probably could if she tried, but that was hardly a standard for comparison. It was comparing levels amongst the elite. Whether Drandar knew it or not, he was a very strong demon. A fitting comparison would be a queen's favorite knight - his strength was in the battle.



Either way, Drandar's nerves spiked and he was very aware of every little detail. Noticing Zandra's freeze, his pupils collapsed his eyes darkened further still until the green was right on the border of not being green at all but rather black. His skin began to heat, the air weaving between his fingers (though moving air isn't exactly noticeable when it doesn't move anything). He could feel the fire in his belly, but he simply gave a wicked smirk.



"And his fatal flaw was his own hubris." Opal's eyes shifted to Drandar. She had to admit that, when he wanted it to, there was some intelligence that could show itself. She had seen it before, especially when it was just the two of them, but recently it seemed to have taken leave. This was the first smart thing he'd said in ages!



Drandar never broke eye contact, but he was carefully considering Zandra. She was struck, in such a way that he couldn't help but consider with more than just anger. Who was this bozo? He thought for a long moment. If she counted, then there were three helpless people in the room. The demon didn't doubt that he could take care of himself and her, but he was a little sketchy about Kiaati and the child. There was a brief moment where he considered just telling them to run, but he brushed that away. At this point, that would be incredibly foolish. This stranger was on the offensive - that was plain to see.



As Drandar's tail slid out from under his shirt, he allowed his eyes to turn casually away. He made a show of unbuttoning his cuff links, not looking directly at the Captain, but watching him nonetheless.



"Maybe if you jump off a cliff, then no one will notice that flaw amongst everything else that's broken."



Life watched as Death finally released her child from his hold. She followed the fellow, hovering outside of his study for a moment. The woman gave a faint smile, her obsidian skin curving with an air of sweetness. Fate had told her to watch after the boy, and since he was no loner here, then she logically didn't have to be either. And if she didn't have to be, then there she was definitely not going to be - Life was not a fan of the house of Death.



"Thank you for your hospitality, M'lord." She swept into a deep curtsy, breaking into little particles of light. The little particles drifted down like dust motes, disappearing before they collected on the floor.

[Tree]

(((( Perfect solution for the ½ demon, half human, all demon thingie……. We’ll stick with the ½ thing, and gloss over bits here and there, and simply say the demon traits are more dominant, and go on with life. Yes, lots of thought went into this. Why? Cause this way, I can totally play up the following scene……….))



Angelica was the first to notice what took place next as she looked up to the moon, then to Zandra. Every inch of her body was starting to feel weaker, vulnerability taking over. Fear simply multiplying ten fold, heart rate and body temperature dropping to a more normal level, mind racing, she watched ZandraÂ’s claws disappear. Ears following, then tail. Now? She has to revert to human phase, now?



Thad and Gabriel both glanced over to Zandra as they felt her power levels drop bellow DrandarÂ’s, and KiaatiÂ’s both, eyebrows raising as they watched the blood draining from her ZandraÂ’s face, and heard the wind stirring in the branches above. It was as if everything was pushing for this disaster, even the wet moon that now hung up in the sky. The ground, the air, it was all waiting. The fates they faced were casually awaiting to embrace the verdict the choices made were about to produce.



FateÂ’s eyes sparkled as her attention returned to Harmony, every once of her being tensed, resembling something close to a phantom right now, completely translucent.



“ Chaos destroyed the balance.”



It was a simple sentence, and no offense was meant to any party. Merely a statement of fact. Chaos had stirred the pot, now they were going to watch the contents boil, spill over, and burn to a crisp.



Zandra felt her arms weaken in their hold on the small child against her, and her chest felt like it was slowly freezing as another set of chills ran up her spine. Once chill after another, she glanced to angelica, Thad, Gabriel, then Kiaati, moving slowly to place the little girl in the unconscious womanÂ’s arms.



Swallowing hard, she felt herself shaking as she looked up at Aszeran, then to Drandar, concern for him consuming her as she tried to make herself stand up, shakily walking up behind Drandar, arms slipping about his waist, in silent protest to the situation. Â… Not to mention open signs of concern, in a situation where she was powerless to help.



Aszeran looked over Zandra, chuckling as in an instant he had her in his arms, and completely helpless, soft words being muttered to her. They were soft enough to escape understanding, but they were scaring her, none the less as she wormed in his arms, looking to Drandar.



Angelica watched in horror, completely powerless, power levels determined by her chosenÂ’s power levels, feeling no stronger the Zandra, wondering what she was suppose to do now.



Feeling the woman fighting and struggling in his arms, and barely moving them, he glanced to the moon, grin spreading wider. She was completely at his mercy for the next 24 hours. Excellent.

[Sushi]

Harmony's face blanched and her eyes narrowed just before Fate said anything. As the woman stated the obvious, Harmony's face seemed pinched. Her scales dipped on one side and then snapped up again. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched them drop back and forth even without her moving her hand. The childlike Terrachronan's cheeks slowly grew rosy again, proceeding even beyond that into a sort of reddened state.



"I. Know." Her voice didn't at all seem like its natural calm tone, but it couldn't really be called angry either. Her words, however, were punctuated a sort of frustration. She pushed her midnight curls away from her face as she threw her feet onto the floor and leaned forward, anxiously staring at the silver scales. Her fingers plucked at the silver silk across her knee, and her dark eyes flicked up to Fate for a split second. In that second a sort of pleading emotion could be seen around her. She wasn't asking for help. Harmony was just hoping. Not praying (who would the divine pray to?) but hoping.



Ariel protested softly at being placed in Kiaati's arms. She squirmed until she was free and standing beside the unconscious woman. The little girl looked utterly confused and somewhat crestfallen as she gazed at the adults.



"I...But..." She tugged at her hair with one hand as though that would give her the answer, and with the other hand she reached out to Zandra, hoping for the woman to come back to her. "No playing right now." That was her answer. Zandra and the others were just playing. But there was something that made her afraid - something in the way the woman was acting that made Ariel not so sure. She didn't want to see danger, though. She didn't want to know why she should be afraid.



Drandar felt a sort of dread as he realized Zandra's change. The last time it had happened there had been nothing good. It seemed that this would be even worse. But for this stranger to rip his girl away like that... Where Drandar had been smoldering before, this had stoked the fire. Inside he was ablaze. Smoke plummed out of his nostrils with each exhalation.



"Put. Her. Down." Drandar's hands clenched into tight fists and when he looked at Aszeran again, his eyes consisted of two colors: white and black. The iris had long forgotten to be green and had blended with the pupil. The air around him wasn't exactly moving anymore, but it quivered in anticipation. He stepped forward, his hand stretching out as though expecting the Captain to hand Zandra to him.



Kiril paced forward, his tiny paws padding the ground as he slipped around the Copy Cat's ankle. With golden eyes, he peered up at Zandra and Aszeran. He opened his maw and quite pointedly meowed in displeasure. Apparently he didn't want to vocalize more intelligently.

[Sushi]

1. No Bumping, Spamming, or Messaging someone to post on a Role Play, within an 8 hour window. UNLESS you are specifically asked to by the other person(s) you're Role Playing with to remind them.

<div align=center>((I believe I meet all of this criteria, so...))



PLUG</div>

[Sushi]

*posting for Tree, who forgot her password... again*

Zandra swallowed slowly as she heard words skittering across her ear. Eyes glazing over, pulse fading to something of a dead person's. Zandra slowly fell into a loop of constant bad memories.



Pat, pat, pat. That was all that echoed in young Zandra's ears as she ran. Why she was running? She couldn't remember. But she was covered in a cold sweat and her short, brown curls bounced against her dirt-covered skin as 'Zandra' darted on into the frozen night air in ragged clothing...



Aszeran watched the lush demon queen fall asleep in his arms. Her breathing slightly rushed, but otherwise the same amongst the others as the wind lightly tugged at her hair. He returned to considering Drandar. Weak, frail little being. To fight him would be to demean myself. however, to leave his living would lead to a rather annoying headache.



"I fear we are at a point to which I will take that which is mine, and leave you with naught but mayhaps your will." Azeran purred softly as he let Zandra fal lby his feet, over the limp body.With a flash of speed, Drandar was pinned to the nearest tree, feet dangling over a foot above the ground.



"Now, I believe it is your turn to cower before me."



As Kiaati slumbered during the scene unfolding before them all, a small group of ants were making their way up over Kiaati's ear. Traveling around the frame of her ear, down her ear lobe and into her shirt. To make sure the ants didn't outdo them, the lady bugs and caterpillars were crawling through her hair.



Angelica's heart seized as her chosen fell to the ground, watching the metallic curls bounce about her head as cold sweat beaded upon Zandra's brow. Angelica's eyes dilated, rational thought gone, rushing to her chosen's side, watching the young prince's (Drandar's) unfolding battle.



Thad shifted stance, on the defensive, hovering perhaps half and inch from Azseran's hand. This was one time he couldn't jump in and save Drandar. All battles that were of this degree the Obscarian's were forbidden to directly interfere in. Only in severe life or death situations... it was to that point, yet.





Gabriel, unfortunately was completely distracted with watching Kiaati slowly become covered with small, crawling wildlife. Not thinking Gabriel reached over and smacked the ants crawling down Kiaati's chest. That has to itch... In his attempt to help he forgot that smacking a woman in the chest might hurt.



Sipping as his wine casually, Death considered the sub-conscious that was wandering his graveyard of memories, Zandra. How this fair demon rose kept getting so close within his grasp, but yet so far away, he had yet to understand.



Looking down on her key beings, Fate growled softly. Another encounter. Another risk... If these three fail it will be over a thousand years before another group comes about that stands a chance of overthrowing the entire empire...And that if everything falls perfect.



"Well, luck is favoring them, but chaos and death are too." Fate muttered softly as she watched demon versus demon square off...

[Sushi]

((And now I'm posting for me - I remember my password. *chuckles*))



Drandar dangled for only a moment before his feet found the trunk of the tree. In that same sort of speed that the captain used, his strong arms grappled against Aszeran as his feet pushed against the wood.



"I do not fear children." His dark pupils collapsed into slits as he bore his teeth, which shifted to a sharper state as his hair bristled and ears flicked back. The man tried to dig his claws into the flesh of the Captain, aiming for him to bleed. Drandar would have gutted the foul creature then and there, but the positioning was... well, a little less than desirable with him being almost parallel to the ground.



Kiaati gasped in a startled breath as Gabriel's hand knocked the air out of her. Her bleary eyes shot open in bloodshot streaks and her hand shot up, grabbing Gabriel's arm and latching on with her fingernails. She sat halfway up, her ragged hair tangling about her face as she leaned forward and discharged her stomach contents. Even though Zandra had healed her, that potent of a poison could do more than just damage the skin.



And then she felt the creatures crawling over her body. The human woman didn't scream, but she was faintly disgusted as she tried to swipe the animals off. Kiaati coughed, her dark green eyes snapping to the unconscious human Zandra and then to Drandar and the stranger. pretzels. She realized for that first time her hand still gripping Gabriel's arm with a sort of confusion, not sure at first that it was her own. ...What?



When Zandra melted into a puddle, Ariel had been stunned for a moment, but she snapped out of it about the time that Kiaati woke. The child ran across the floor, flying to the side of the transformed demon. Her tiny hands pulled her out to lay on her back, the fingers pressing against the woman's face.



"My Lover! My Lover..." Maybe it wasn't the best word for Zandra, but it was the best that Ariel could come up with. Zandra was the one who showered loving affections on the child and that was all she knew. All the while her little face was pinched in panic, the kind that came from a person who had seen death before. It made one wonder what had happened to the youngster in her slighting years.



Kiril paced to Scribble Lady, licking her face with his rough tongue. He didn't like the taste, but still... He had hoped that it would wake her up. Opal, however, was concerned with Drandar. Her body shifted as she landed on the floor, curling into that of a cobra, her throat flap fanning out dangerously as she slithered near to the two.



Harmony frowned deeply, a creased forming across her childlike brow as she buried a hand into her deep blue curls. Her eyes drifted up to Fate with a sort of anguish, almost as though the entire situation caused her pain.



"Do you really think this is worth the toil?" This was really a sort of code, a cryptic way of asking what Fate thought. Should Harmony battle against Chaos? Normally she was fine with letting things run their course, for nature always had a tendency to return to her hands, but this was a special case. One hand remained in her hair and the other stretched out, palm turned up towards her scales thoughtfully.



An obsidian hand slid suddenly across Harmony's back as the shafts of light shimmered and Life appeared. Her dark skin was still smooth and hardly tensed, but there was a certain way that the light reflected in her eyes that showed her concern.



"I favor the living. If it matters at all." Apparently Life was feeling serious at the moment.

[Tree]

Fates eyes returned to the woman before her, considering all the answers running course in her mind right now, as well as all the questions that could be passed along with them, wondering which fit right now. The delicate balance in place about these fragile beings bellow was slowly coming unraveled at the seams, there was little they could do without disrupting the courses the ones bellow had chosen. Unless Harmony chose to help. Fate let her eyes take in Harmony now, and her slightly anguished appearance, then considered Life behind her.



" I'd have to agree with Life, they could use a small break down there. I'd not want to deal with this again."





Flinching at the sting on her cheeks, the six year old Zandra leapt over the gaping hole in the ground, to land on the soft bank and tumble down into the awaiting stream. Tossed and thrown about in the raging waters, Zandra finally managed to grab onto an old tree that could withstand the water's fury, and held on for dear life. Some how, Zandra's tree was little Ariel on the waking side, as her arms wrapped about the small child, but with next to no strength in her physical body, Zandra had nearly no grip on the girl.



Gabriel stared at Kiaati for a second, realizing she was awake, then took into consideration his arm, then his chosen once more.



" Um... Would you mind?"



Gabriel ventured slowly, wanted her to remove her nails from his forearm, as it kind of stung a little bit.



Aszeran shifted so as to let Drandar's hands fall short of him, sneering at Drandar's words.



"I could really careless, small child. I'm collecting what I own."



He informed Drandar simply, pivoting back and tossing Drandar into another tree across the way, watching as man and tree both slid back a few extra feet, merely from force.

[Sushi]

Drandar sucked back in the breath that had been knocked out of him, his eyes never blinking, never shifting from Aszeran. After almost no break, he stood up, ripping the shreds of his pantleg from the splintered wood. The impact had reopened a couple of the slices along his calf. True, it hurt, but he had the capacity to take a few hits.



He was just about to come back at the Captain, but then the gravity of the situation slammed into him full force. Zandra was incapacitated. There was a child... make that two. Sure, Kiaati had finally come back from the dead, but she looked like she might still be one of them. So, with this in mind, Drandar instead darted towards Zandra with all of his might.



((I'm going kind of out on a limb, but you said that since Xamein would appear... I hope you don't mind. I can change it if you do.))



Kiaati removed her fingers from Gabriel's arm, but it seemed somewhat surreal as she stared at the little red crescents her nails had made. She sat up a little straighter, and that was when she felt it. A gentle pressure that introduced a presence she recognized even before she saw it. Her arms curled around the little boy and she pressed her cheek to his hair.



"Xamein..." Her lips formed the soundless word as she stood with the boy and turned her head with wariness towards the foreign demon.



Harmony withdrew her fingers from her lazuli curls, eyes settled pensively on her scales. Combativeness wasn't in her nature, but Chaos... Chaos could pull an exception out of her now and again. She rubbed her hands together as though trying ease some pain out of the joints.



"A little break..." She repeated the words almost wistfully. Life wrapped her arms around the childlike Terrachronan, smiling warmly.



"You have it in there somewhere - I know it. Come on, Peepsie." Harmony smiled in a distantly bitter way. She had been around just as long as all of the others, but for some reason Life insisted on little remarks as though she was actually a child. Still, Harmony didn't bother to shrug her off or chastise. Life meant well, at least. Besides, Harmony had her mind on other things as she dipped her hand below.



Drandar skidded and nearly fell on his face as he scooped to wrap Zandra in his arms. Kiaati's shoulder caught her fall against the nearest tree, clutching Xamein tightly to her. Arial was pitched forward hard into Zandra's chest, leaving Kiril pinned hopelessly between them. Opal was tossed slightly and she coiled her scaly body in attempt to maintain balance. Torin was startled less by his reintroduction and more by the fact that the ground shook his legs from beneath him. A massive tree toppled like a dividing line between Aszeran and the party as the ground continued to heave. Earthquake.



((Sorry, it's all I could think of.))

[Tree]

Ground shaking and heaving, hair being tossed about without care as soil tarnished her metallic locks, Zandra remained lost to the waking world as she battled to see past the spell holding her hostage, body tossed like a beach ball, arms loosely holding little Ariel.



The quake startled the Obscarians into reality as Thad moved to his chosen. Angelic broke from her trance as she managed to make her way after Thad, Gabriel not far behind with Kiaati and Xamien in his arms.



“ What ?”



Xamien looked about, watching the ground start to crack, reminding him of when his food and been dried in the sun, looking about as the trees tumbled, and the air became hard to breath with all the dust being stirred up. Confused, he looked to Kiaati, question clear on his little face.



Knocked off balance Aszeran cursed under his breath as he saw the huge gap forming between himself and his prey. Judging the distance, it was already to large for him to jump. Aszeran snarled slightly, flicking his wrist, watching the storm clouds slowly swirl as tension mounted in the air, lightening sparking everywhere. Sneer slowly forming, sharp features predominate as the entire area went dark, gaps filling with lightening as the bolts continued to littler their surroundings.



Heart seizing a time or two, Zandra battled free of the spell, cold sweat clinging to her as she moved out of the lightening way, just in time, watching AszeranÂ’s face slowly seeming to drift away as the ground separated more and more.

[Sushi]

Drandar felt the lightning strike just beside him, scorching a spot on the earth. His shaggy hair stuck out with static as he caught his breath, looking at the huge gap for only a moment before seizing Zandra and the child up in his arms.



Ariel squirmed so that her face was no longer squashed to his chest, but as her eyes touched the ground and her hand ran across one of the man's claws, her heart felt like ice. She tried to hold on to what Zandra had told her, that Drandar wouldn't hurt her, but... She looked up at his black and white eyes and then shrunk away, remembering too the evil face of the stranger.



"Demondemondemondemondemondemondemon." Each syllable seemed more stressed with each repetition until little tears squeezed out of the corners of her eyes. She burrowed into Zandra's chest, shaking. It was probably a good thing that she hadn't figured out Zandra was the same as Drandar.



Kiril dug his little claws into Drandar's leg, latched on. The man growled, though it hurt no worse than a slight scratch from his own nails.



"Let go." The cat sounded almost panicked in reply. He knew that he was supposed to protect not hurt, but...



"I can't! I'll get hurt!" Drandar grumbled under his breath.



"You'll get hurt if you don't." Empty threat, but it felt nice.



Kiaati nearly lost herself to reflex, stopping the swing of her elbow halfway through so that it seemed more of a bizarre muscle twitch. That was all the better for Gabriel, either way: it saved his appendix. She blinked rapidly, trying to reaccount for her center of balance. Her dark green eyes drifted to Drandar, though their focus was not quite as intense as usual.



Somewhere in the back of her mind she had to wonder what exactly Gabriel had been thinking. She did not like being manhandled at all, as anyone that knew her for more than five minutes could testify to. Still, she didn't object out loud. Right now she knew that she would likely trip if dropped.



In the forefront of her mind, however, she was focused on what she was seeing. She remembered what she had seen from before... But then... Her mind ran through several quick calculations. They had moved her, but that only disoriented her for a minute.



"Drandar, turn slightly to your right..." Her voice was soft as she gently cradled Xamein closer to her. Still, the man heard her, be by his enhanced hearing or his oversensitized nerves he wasn't even sure. And so they went to the right.



~~~



Whether it was thirty seconds or thirty minutes when the trees suddenly ended, it seemed impossible to tell. The sky overhead was overcast and either dark for day or light for night, anxiety and exhaustion common contenders in the faces of the party. Drandar ran through the town, and Kiaati... well... rode. The woman glanced at Gabriel.



"Please... Do me a little a favor with this one?" She tugged at his hand, Xamein shifting to her left arm and leaping free. She gave three awkward paces and then fell into her gait.



"Drandar!" The man looked back, circling around as he saw the woman leap from the portwalk to a ship. In one movement, she put Xamein on the deck and scaled several boxes. As she took a leap, Drandar's and the other two's weights collided with the boat. What is she thinking? As he placed the others on the deck with Xamein, he heard Kiaati express the answer to her thoughts. "Cut loose the mooring line!"



Drandar glanced up to see the woman swinging with her hands firmly wrapped around a rope, and a sail dropped with her. Feeling the adrenaline of the chase still in his blood, Drandar looked around with no idea. By now several people from the pier had realized what was going on, and none seemed pleased about it. The man reached out and yanked loose the closest knot.



This was rather unfortunately not the correct tie. Kiaati crashed against the deck and a rope fell into a pool beside her. She scrambled to her feet, rolling her shoulder as she scrambled up to catch and swing another rope.



"THE HAWSER, DRANDAR! THE ROPE HOLDING THE SHIP TO THE WHARF!"



"DON'T YELL AT ME! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT TO BEGIN WITH?!" The demon scrambled over to where people were trying to board the ship and pull it closer. He didn't have a choice. With his claws he sliced right through it. The ship lurched forward on the rough winds of the nearby storm. He tossed the one scrawny lad into the water, stumbling slightly as the boat rocked on the water.



Kiaati trimmed the sails as they filled with wind and it began to rain. Not exactly the ideal sailing conditions.



"Kiaati?"



"What?" Her hands expertly knotted down the rope, turning wearily to Drandar, who had returned to check on the others.



"We just stole a ship."



"Yes."



"And I think it made me a bit queasy."

[Sushi]

Zandra moved slightly as Drandar set her down, holding to little Ariel in her weak arms, not having too much say in what was going on. Eyes taking in the ship, and that they were starting to sail off from the town, sighing inwardly.



" Do you think we have provision?"



She asked Drandar, who was the only one within ear shot, glancing to young Xamein, heart leaping slightly, glad to see the young child alright... Not to mention, Kiaati was up, and active? What the heck?



Trying to figure out things, she started to understand the last few moments as she casually reached over and petted Kiril.



" I'm not sure I like this idea."



She murmured under her breath as they sailed off, considering the dangers of being on sea. This is potentially worse or better then what we were dealing with before. She sighed at her thought process, looking off to Drandar, smiling sweetly at him.



" Darling... have you ever been to sea?"

[Sushi]

((Note to self: This is really myself.))

((Note to self addendum: No, you're not crazy. Remember when Tree visited and used your computer?))



Drandar literally stumbled across to Zandra. He was not used to this walking on driftwood idea. The man sat down next to the woman, now feeling quite sick. He swallowed a couple times before speaking.



"Well, I don't know. I didn't really have a chance to look through the ship that we were stealing, sorry." I thought we were supposed to be the good guys. Drandar glanced up at Kiaati for this thought. He couldn't exactly be sure why this happened, but he was positive that the motion was a very bad idea. The man leaped to his feet and rushed to the side of the boat. The man began to vomit - well that wasn't entirely true. His body was trying to throw up, but Drandar hadn't eaten in at least two days. There was nothing to throw up. So the man stood there, clutching the side of the boat and dry-heaving until that horrible yellow bilge spilled into the sea. The man sat on his knees and pressed his forehead to the wood siding. He moaned pathetically.



"First impression of sailing: I loathe it." The man gave another groan, and he melted into a little puddle on the ground. His stomach was pinched in a little painful ball. Partially because he was hungry, partially because he was sick. That and tired. Drandar was tired. His eyes trailed over to Zandra, waking up the will to edge over to her. "This was a bad idea."



Now, when the motion had quite abruptly disrupted Drandar, it really was a shame. For at that very moment, Kiaati had finished tying down the ropes. She sighed deeply, letting her body slouch against the mast. The adrenaline had worn off and she was wiped.



The woman lifted her hand to rub her shoulder, which was still rather sore. Whether it was the fall or the injury, well, neither could have helped. She pulled her hand away, looking at it with a pinched expression. Her arms were highly irritated and red. The skin was weeping, and the palms and wrists were cracked and bleeding. She knew that she needed to go check on that exact cargo of the ship, but... The woman flexed her fingers, frowning at the deep discomfort. The woman needed them wrapped, and all the way to her fingers. She was far too worn to be able to effectively do it herself right now. But... her eyes drifted around the group. Zandra was in just about worse shape. Drandar was otherwise occupied. She didn't want Xamien to have deal with this. That meant... Slowly and tiredly Kiaati made her way over to Gabriel. She tilted her head up so that she could look him full in the face.



"Thank you for ignoring me." True Kiaati form right there in that statement. She had not been unconscious. She had not been unable to get up. She had not been gushing blood. Yet, it still seemed that Gabriel had helped her survive. Now she was being forced by health to do something she hated.



"I was wondering. Do you have a moment to help me? With my hands?" The woman reached down for the part of her belt that held her bandages. And then she had to look down, feeling that she was not wearing a belt. "Oh no." It was a single-piece outfit. The black fabric clung very, very close, covering her legs and reaching up over her front into a halter tie. It wouldn't have been quite as bad if it weren't that there was absolutely no back until her waist, and the front dipped down to just above her belly button. At least front was laced together. This was only barely better than the outfit before.



As she ran her hands over the cloth, she became aware of at least having a couple of possessions still. Her daggers were strapped beneath her clothes, the sheathes flush against her thighs, hidden by the way the fabric loosened over her hips. And her medallion was hanging round her neck. She didn't have bandages, however. The woman had to take a moment to swallow her horror before she could meet Gabriel's gaze. This was fantastic.



What was she supposed to say now? Kiaati gave a tired groan. Really, the universe should be running out of little tortures to spring on her. The woman sat down right where she was. Sailing a ship by yourself was extremely taxing on the body. Stealing a ship was almost impossible if you weren't backed by a few pirates - or at least a sailor or two. Either way, Kiaati needed a break.

[Tree]

Zandra closed her eyes as she realized it wasn't worth her efforts to get up and look about for provisions at the moment, as pure inability to move too over, eyelids heavy and falling, Ariel clutched to her chest. Her odd state wasn't interrupted by anyone or anything as the ship started to toss with the sea's unforgiving fury. Apparently a storm was starting to roll in.





Xamien watched as Kiaati walked to Gabriel, and looked about as he heard her asking for help with her hands. Doing, as most small children are apt to do, and wondering off down bellow deck. He was gone probably half an hour or so before returning, noticing that Gabriel had already de-sleeved his robes and wrapped Kiaati's hands and arms. Little face falling, he sat down the little rolls of bandages he'd found and the tiny jar of ointment and wondered back bellow deck with a rather pathetic little pout. He wanted to help mommy.





Gabriel hadn't paid much mind to statement, or request of help as he'd wrapped her up, however, he did notice Xamien wonder off, and the light sprinkling of rain that was rolling in now.... Not to mention the fact it was starting to feel like he was walking on a bowl of jell-o while someone was shaking it....





Angelica fluffed up her wings slightly, looking at Thad. Really? He'd already found a barrel of apples and was helping himself, completely oblivious to the fact that his chosen was vomiting non-stop, or the fact it appeared there was something close to a hurricane coming, or the fact that Gabriel looked as if he had a crush on his chosen, or....or....





Angelica was on the verge of a nervous break-down as her chosen laid somewhere between sleep and fainted.....

[Sushi]

The woman looked up at the little boy and wearily got to her feet. It seemed that she would almost fall over under her own weight, but somehow the half-injured and completely exhausted woman managed to lifted Xamein into her arms, just managing to hold the stuff he found in the crook of her arm. Ignoring protests and not offering any words, she ducked in out of the rain. She carried the boy into the washroom.



"We need to get these wet clothes off." That was all she could really drag out of herself. As she set both Xamein and the bandages on the counter, Kiaati's eyes drifted to her reflection in the dingy mirror. She couldn't help but pause. This had been the first time in a very long time that she had taken a moment to actually look at herself. What she saw was startling. In fact, the woman almost didn't recognize herself. She had aged a bit in face, but something else about her seemed worn in way that couldn't be put into words. Her hair had grown and now hung shaggily an inch above her shoulders. Her figure... It had once been willowy, but now it was gaunt. When she exhaled completely, there was a faint dip where her ribs ended - nothing more than bone and muscle. Kiaati was not at all vain, but this was just about a shock to see.



The woman just stood there for a moment, her hands resting on her waist, hating the feel of the wraps brushing against the bare skin. She was more than just modest. Something about the scars that were exposed bothered her. She couldn't be sure what, but something still. Kiaati looked back at her own dark green eyes and then pulled out her dagger.



Swish. The woman held a handful of her red hair. She had sliced it into a straight, clean line that now brushed just below her jaw. She was not going to go back any further. Even if it was only by a hair. She unceremoniously dropped it on the floor, returning her attention to the little boy.



The male demon swallowed hard, pressing his lips together tightly. He knew that he was sore all over and starving. He knew that he was sick beyond belief. But he also knew that the rain was piercing and that the two girls needed his help. So, using every last reserve of his willpower, Drandar lifted Zandra and Ariel into his arms, carrying them off the deck. He found a small room with a mat and bedding and lay them on it.



"It's okay... It's okay..." He wasn't sure if this low muttering was for him or for them. He reached as far into himself as he could, drawing out a warm breeze to dry them as he knelt there. This, however, proved to be the end of Drandar's might. The man quite literally collapsed beside them.



Drandar scrunched his face, rubbing at his right eye. A sudden pins and needles sensation had raced across it, but then just as suddenly as it had come, it went also. It was just a progression of the changes in Drandar that he did not see. The man had been cast into darkness at realizing Zandra was his soul. The man had submitted to Angelica's fists, learning that sometimes one couldn't fight fate. And when he had saved Zandra, had harnessed lightning, had roared - that was when Drandar had finally grown into his skin. These, among a thousand other tiny changes, were the explanation for what happened.



Drandar didn't know about the newest change either. A fleur de lis had formed on the skin over his right eye. It was an intricate pattern with a long stem, the base rested on the top of his cheekbone and the top blossomed just above his eyebrow. The marking was black as coal, but yet it lacked that abyss feeling that black tended to have. All of this was lost to the man, a surprise for whenever they all would wake.



Kiaati furrowed her brow, fingers running over the silver spirals. She couldn't explain it, but this was one of those moments where you feel something, a silent vibration that told you something had happened. The woman looked up at the floor above her, once again not really sure why, more drawn by instinct. The planks hid the truth from her eyes, the truth of Drandar and fleur de lis - the mark of royalty. The Prince had grown into his skin, had earned his marking. There they were, the now immistakable Princess, Chosen, and finally the Prince.

[Tree]

Xamien looked over his mother fondly, and nodded like a good boy, stripping slowly, his clothing clinging as if they were made of some weird syrup. He'd worn some of the blood off Kiaati, not to mention the splatter here and there form everything else in his recent return to home.



Looking up at his mother, not seeing anything to replace his tattered clothes. xamien merely moved to set back down on the toilet, looking at the weird cut on his arm, and the odd bruise upon his knee.



Zandra never moved from place of rest, eyes remaining solid shut, little girl clenched to her chest as if she were a precious package.



Little, small hands gripped upon the tree branch as she swung up to the next. Brown curls bouncing about the sharp little female face, she continued to climb, a never ending tree. Eventually the tree turned to a mountain, and she continued climb, scaling rocks, as a hail storm rolled in, pelts of ice beating her now teen body.



Gabriel sighed as he looked to thad, happily snacking, then to Angelica, who's face was pinched in worry as the storm started to pitch the boat about. Without a unsounded request, Angelica nodded, moving to help man the masses. Someone had to control the boat in the storm rolling over them.

[Sushi]

Kiaati kneeled beside the little boy, who perhaps seemed a little less distraught than before. It seemed that he just needed attention. But then again, had she every doubted that? He was a child. The woman glanced up at Xamein, a deep-running sorrow throbbing in her chest as she washed the cut and spread the ointment had he found across the wound. He deserved so much more attention. He deserved so much more, period. The woman had secured the wrappings and wiped away the stray dirt before slipping out into the hallway.



A minute, maybe two later, Kiaati returned. Children weren't normally on board a ship like this, so naturally they didn't have any clothes that were the proper size. She was carrying the smallest shirt she could find.



"Here we go, Bud." She pulled the shirt over his head and then took out a thin piece of twine that she had obviously nicked from somewhere else on the ship, proceeding to tie it around the boy's shoulders and waist so that the really large shirt was secured, excess fabric just rumpled and poofing a tiny bit. At least it would be roomy enough for him to move. She ruffled Xamein's damp hair with a rueful smile.



"When did you get so big?" Kiaati at this point was startled and stumbled back a little as the ship pitched violently. At first she had thought the sound she heard was just a continuation of the thunder rolling over the water, but as her mind processed it, the woman knew better. Still, she smiled calmly at Xamein.



"You can either go sleep with the others, or you can come up to the deck with me. I'll let you watch to see how a ship is sailed as long as you stay out of the rain." Knowing that the boy was fully capable of making a decision like that, and trusting him to do so, Kiaati quickly scuttled her tired and aching body up above deck, immediately wincing as the driving rain battered her face. The redhead raised a hand to shield her eyes as she peered out over the water and through the hazy rain. Such horrible sailing conditions... She pressed her stomach against the railing, sighing internally at what she saw.



"Give me a break! Chasing us down?!" The woman glanced at the ship, eyes running over the details of it. It was a well-conditioned schooner, the kind that could fly through the water and hold enough people to be dangerous. Kiaati glanced at their own boat. It was a little sloop, and even though it was riding high in the water, it wasn't anything like the bigger oncoming ship. The bigger, oncoming ship armed with cannons and apparently not shy in using them... even if they weren't in range yet. The woman didn't hesitate as she darted off past the Obscarians towards the prow, her mouth going about a mile a minute as she climbed out onto the bowsprit.



"There is no way that we can outrun them, short of a magical anomaly of astronomical proportions. Seeing as we have been pressing our luck lately, I seriously doubt the plausibility of that one. We are going to have to try and outmaneuver them!" She was using every ounce of strength she could muster as she spoke, and it was obvious in the sort of painful-looking way that she moved. The woman was lowering a small sail at the very front of the boat, fighting the screeching winds that tried to take her off with them. She was speaking even faster and it suddenly became apparent why sailors had their own syntax.



"Once the spinnaker's down, I'm gonna need hands. Wer gonna haveta come about fast and if wer not careful wer gonna broach - I dunna 'bout ya but a roll and saltwater bath dunt sound that appealin' right now. The wind's not gonna give us any favor, so listen close." She tossed the pole and spinnaker sail onto the deck and hopped over the rolling mass. She knew that it was dangerous, but she didn't have time to put it up properly.



"I got da jib, stay outta my way. Need hands on da rudder - hold 'er steady at the new tack! Dunt have time, so hands needta grab the mainsheet riggin' an' let 'er loose! That's those!" Kiaati slid across the water sloshing onto the deck and pointed to a pair of ropes off to the side before reaching out to untie one in front of her. "And someun' keep eyes on da ship!" Even one other sailor would be extremely useful right now, but she knew better than to ask for Zandra. The woman remembered the last time the demon had turned human. No, no matter how bad she felt, Kiaati would not ask for that sort of help.



"To yer places! Prepare to jibe!" She didn't look up to see if they had listened - she didn't have time, especially now that she had gotten the jib loose.



"Look alive mates, da heel's going to change suddenly and wer gonna be leanin' the otha' way! Heads up and dunt get closelined by the boom - she's gonna 'cross the ship. Bearing away!" The boat began to turn sharply as the jib was adjusted, the wind filling the leeward side of the sail and pushing the sail and heavy beam across the boat, just like she had said. "JIBE-HO!"



Now was when she would find out if her orders were followed. Sink or swim... uh... well... actually Kiaati was hoping they wouldn't have to do either or those.



((You know... I never knew that the boat licensing course we took in health class would be so useful... or that one little scene from that movie of which the name escapes me.))

[Tree]

Xamein thought about what to do as he felt his knees buckle and his feet give out as the ground went well, to becoming the wall. Knocking his head upon a bucket that went by his body and was now who knew where. Rubbing the sore spot on his head, he tried to climb back up to his feet and proceeded out to the deck.



Wobbling about, he watched as the Obscarians heeded the instructions of Kiaati, doing as the chosen requested without concern. Xamein's eyes grew large as he watched the little object approaching, what he figured had to be a ship, considering how his mother was acting.



Rain falling, eyes looking about, Xamein slipped about upon the deck, trying not to slip and fall off. However, as the boat pitched in a heavy wave, he went sliding into a side rail and slammed arms first into it at that. Hearing a load noise, and letting out a whimper cry, Xamien now sat, virtually immobilized.





Tumbling about, soon waking, Zandra looked about, wincing as she smacked her head upon the wall, now laying, crushed, beneath Drandar's weight as he lay upon her, leaving her to wiggle under him, trying to get free.

[Sushi]

At being thrown into the wall, Drandar woke with a start, though it was the very last thing that he wanted to do. He groaned and moaned as he proceeded to disentangle himself from Zandra.



"What is going on?" He couldn't understand, and not in a typical dumb-Drandar way. It was completely beyond his comprehension. He had never been on a boat before, and he was a million miles past mental burnout. That was why he stared at Zandra in a plea for help as he absently clawed at his right eye, which was itching crazily for some reason or another. Zandra was human, but that didn't mean she had lost her brain... right? It didn't help that his stomach was lurching with each swell of the sea.



The man nearly jumped out of his skin at a horrible wail that filled the air. Ariel had burst into tears, clinging to the wall and holding her head. Drandar managed to stand up. He intended to walk over to the girl and then go out on deck, but he didn't have sea legs. He stumbled and skidded straight into the wall.



Where it was Drandar's stomach that lurched, it was Kiaati's heart. She could see little Xamein tossed across the ship like nothing more than a little rag doll, and she was fearful for him. It was only just now that she had finally gotten him back, and she didn't want to lose him again. However, she couldn't go to him. Her fingers were gripped so tightly to the till that her knuckles were white and her arms were trembling. If she let go, surely the boat would tip.



"Xamein, hold tight!" Another cannon ball landed into the water, sending a huge spray of water over the side of the ship this time, rocking it violently. They were getting closer. Kiaati did her best not to wobble as the wind battered sheets of rain against her flesh. She ground her teeth together, using all her might to push the rudder to the side. And the Ginger Crest leaned slightly and the sail stretched full of wind, tugging the boat slightly starboard. Kiaati could see the faint outlines of rocks jutting from the ocean, even if it was blurred by the storm and her own fatigue.



However, if her visibility was skewed by the rain and the ocean was fighting her ship, that mean that the oncoming vessel was having the same problems. Hopefully that would give them a margin for escape - a margin for error.

[Tree]

Zandra wormed and fought at the man holding her down, only to have him climb off her and all but kill himself on another wall. Her primary concern wasn't on her love, rather then the little girl in anguish as she carefully worked her way over to the child, pulling her close, murmuring soft words of safety and care. What the hell was going on out there?





The Obscarians were even powerless as they watched the little boy, unable to let go, for fear of throwing the small craft upside down and into the depths beneath them. So Gabriel and Angelica exchanged looks of a rather helplessness as Thad continued to stand atop the apple barrels, holding the ropes for all he was worth, trying not to be blown away, unable to force the rope fully down to be tied back in place.



Xamien couldn't feel much after a few seconds, completely terrified, everything from his shoulder hurting so bad the tears just would never stop. He couldn't see his mother now, only the boat that was getting closer. He had no clue what they wanted, but right now the little boy didn't care, he wished he was still in bed.

[Sushi]

Drandar lay there for a minute or two, his eyes scrunched tightly shut and ears flicked back against his head. Ariel's wails were horrible. He hated it every time, swearing that he would surely go deaf. Yet he couldn't really do anything about it. However, as the boat pitched violently again, he found himself at his feet. The man wanted to stay and try to watch over Zandra but... well, aside from wanting to know what was going on, he had to puke. So he made his way up to the deck.



What he saw when he finally got all the way up there was absolute chaos. He had no idea what was going on, even as he gripped to the banister, dry heaving some more. The water sprayed high over the boat, especially as a cannonball missed by mere feet. That made Kiaati think, though. Were they just trying to throw them off? After all, why would they try to destroy a ship that they were trying to retrieve?



However, it was little to be said and even less to be done. They didn't really have time for thinking and strategizing. They only had time for doing. The haze from the driving rain was so thick that she could barely see the rocks jutting up from the sea in time to sail around them. But the exhausted woman was quick enough, strong enough, even if only just. The Ginger Crest veered agilely about the spires, something that apparently the other ship could not.



However, when the thunderous sound of cannon fire faded to nothing more than the storm's thunder and the random obstacles gave way to empty seas, that little switch in Kiaati's brain flipped. It was no longer about the flight. It was about her son, an a dull half-panic rose at the sound of his cries. Even as she tied the till in to the new tack, her limbs felt like lead and her skin was numb from the battering of the cold rain. Still, the woman forced herself to consider things, even though each thought was hard coming. She grabbed a tie as she half-ran by, yanking it free so that the sail would fall limp. Though the storm lessened, it would still be safer to be dead in the water than to fight the winds. The woman wasn't thinking about that, however. Her mind was on Xamein, first and foremost.



Food. Seasickness. Those were things that needed tending to. The others hadn't eaten for the past couple days... Wait, how long had it been since she had eaten? As if on cue, her stomach pinched in another of the cramps she had been ignoring for some time now. Then there was poor Drandar. He was seasick on calm waters, and this storm was enough to turn the stomach of some seasoned sailors. However, those things would have to wait. Xamein came first. She knelt by the poor boy, her arms enveloping him as she used every bit of her power to lift him.



"Shh, shh... What's wrong? You have to tell me, Bud." Kiaati didn't realize that she had been walking across the deck until she found herself stepping over the spinnaker pole and rigging as it rolled across the planks. With fumbling fingers, the woman juggled the child and reached down to slide open the trapdoor to the hold. That made sense, though. It was the closest door and it was dry if nothing else. She couldn't see properly for the driving rain even as she ship slowed. Her dark green eyes needed whatever clarity they could.



The redhead slipped down a few steps with the boy, just enough so that her head was below deck. There would be food down there, and cures for seasickness, but she didn't care. She was so engrossed with the boy, so tired and so weak that she didn't even realize something was off until it was too late.



"Don't move." The woman's eyes shot up as a knife pressed to her jaw, gaze falling on a famiilar figure with his arm around her shoulder. It was the man, one of the two that had taunted her, had poisoned her. As she stared at the man who had been accidentally freed from his bindings by the ragdoll ship, Kiaati remembered this, and stood stiffly. However, it was only for a moment, for she lit up into fury. There was the man, and he stood between her and her little boy.



"Put him down. Slowly." Kiaati obeyed, if more for the boy's sake than anything else. Then, ignoring the knife, the woman whipped about and threw him back a step or two so that he stumbled and fell out into the rain upon the deck. Kiaati slammed against him, her arms expertly pinning his. Her jaw was clenched and flames blazed in her eyes. She was furious and she wasn't even bothering to hide it. The man seemed shocked, unable to speak. This was strange to see, for it seemed that she was drawing strength beyond herself, and that was about the truth. Emotion had lit in her a small reprieve, whatever price she would pay for it later. In the stead of the man's silence, Kiaati spoke - but she didn't yell. No, she used her deadly voice, the one that was no louder than normal but was even more terrifying than a shout.



"You blithering idiot. Did you forget everything you practiced? Just what did you think you were doing?" At first he looked offended, but then he quickly laughed, trying to get out of the hold Kiaati had him in.



"It's not my fault you wouldn't listen, Bubbles." The woman's eyes flashed daggers at the name for her.



"That's not my name, and you know it." He simply rolled his eyes and let them wander. For a moment they paused and narrowed over Zandra and Drandar. Kiaati ripped him away from the floor by his shirt and slammed him against it again. He gasped, the breath knocked out of him. "I'm talking to you."



"Whatever, Princess. You just need to get over yourself. You have no idea what you're dealing with." He wrenched his arm around, his dagger sliding through the air. Kiaati released him, smoothly dodging the blade as though without even thought. As he rolled and was halfway to his feet, the woman's fist collided with his face. The crack that filled the air was enough to make a weak stomach turn. As he yelled from his pinned position and with blood gushing from his nose, Kiaati breathed her words hotly into his face.



"Take up arms against me one more time and I will use your own blade to cut a tiny hole in your stomach. Then I'll slowly pull out your intestines inch by inch before using them to strangle every last drop of life from your sorry corpse." His face was blanched with fear as he watched her unwavering expression staring down coldly at his bloodied face. Still, he choked out words soaked in transparent bravery.



"You wouldn't even know the difference between guts and brains."



"I'd offer to show you, but you don't have either." It was impossible to tell if Kiaati was bluffing about any of this. If she was, it was just another testament to her acting abilities. If she wasn't... well, then one could only pray this guy didn't do anything else to tick her off or else they were going to be needing more than a swabbie.



For a long time Kiaati didn't move, didn't say anything. She just stared at him, ignoring how his nosebleed had painted his face. Her dark green eyes just surveyed him, searching that face for something. When she did finally speak, her voice was not so much deadly as disgusted.



"You make me sick. How could you abandon everything you believed in? How could you forget everything you knew? Why would you wipe away the memory of a hand that protected you?" Still, true to his 'fearless' attitude, he spoke quickly.



"You don't know me. You're the one befriending demons, but you don't realize what you're getting in to. You're betraying your own race." Kiaati glared at him, but did not move to silence him. A light of an idea flickering up in his eyes, he lowered his voice and pushed on. "I was part of the fight to defend us. I was lead by a lady not too unlike you. If you repent, I will help you defeat your demon masters. I'll show you how humans don't have to submit." Kiaati's jaw remained set.



"What if I said that you were staring into the face of that woman who taught you?" His hopeful expression darkened, obviously not expecting Kiaati's words. Something about their tone squelched the idea of instant devotion.



"Then I would have to inform you that you're looking awfully good for being dead. Bubbles, you are not that lady I knew. Your words are nothing more than treasonous slander, an attack on the good name of a fine woman. You're just an evil witch." He spat in her face, and Kiaati drew her arm back. The man flinched as the fist hurtled toward him, but then he found that instead of a shattering blow, all pressure was removed. He could move again. Kiaati stood high above him, wiping away the saliva. As his eyes lingered, however, she swiftly kicked him in the ribs.



"Get out of my sight, Vinn." As his eyes widened, he scrambled to his feet, dashing away and muttering something about witchy magick. As Kiaati turned, however, he stopped in his flight. The sound of metal slicing through the air whizzed in Kiaati's ears. Her hand shot out, grabbing the dagger from the air and out of the path it had stupidly made for her friends. The woman glared at Vinn, spinning the dagger dangerously. "This witch will boil your possession in a brew so that your flesh will burn as you sleep and every time you speak maggots will leech upon your blackened skin." She hurled the dagger and it would have killed if he had not disappeared the second before. Instead the weapon stuck out of a mast. It wasn't until she heard the splashing in the water outside the boat that she walked up to the wooden pole.



"Blithering idiot. Irrefutable imbecile. 'Demon masters' my butt." She pulled out the dagger, looking it over and walking back towards the demons, waving it and stabbing at the air absently as she continued to rant under her breath. "What does he know? Dunce didn't even recognize the woman that saved his life. Oh yeah, I can see me now. 'Miss Zandra, Queen of the Universe, can I shine your shoes? Maybe after I do the dishes and clean the chimney you'd let me brush your hair?' or better yet, 'Oh Mighty Overlord Drandar, I don't mind if you use me as a scratching post. After you're done I'll go bring you the statue I made of you from the scraps you've been feeding me for the past three months.'"



Drandar was staring at Kiaati in completely disbelief. One, he couldn't believe some of the things that she had said to that man - disgusting and cruel was not what she was known for. As Kiaati made her way back over, he nudged Zandra gently and whispered softly to her.



"Is that burning skin with maggots thing actually possible, or did she just make that up?" Then, as she came nearer and mentioned demons, his ears stood up, catching every word. He wasn't sure whether to be offended or not. So, looking at her, he asked a simple question. "You do know we can hear you, right?" Kiaati's answer threw him completely off guard.



"Oh just shut up." With that, the pale and shivering woman crossed the deck. The spinnaker pole rolled across the boat with a slight pitch from tides, knocking her flat on her face. Drandar didn't know what to say, what to do. It was obvious that Kiaati was struggling as she eventually pulled herself back to her feet, the dagger laying forgotten on the wood. Then she disappeared into the hold again, eyes searching desperately for the child.



"Xamein, Xamein I'm sorry. Where are you?" She needed to help him.



((Edit: deleted a repeat paste due to the original intention of splitting the post in two))

[Tree]

The most notable reaction to the situation unfolding before them was Xamein. Hurt, and now his mother making such promises to make a grown man's stomach turn, the little boy held his silence, even as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.



As the woman's words deteriorated into talk not suitable for company, let alone one's child, Xamein looked to slowly becoming frightened, watching blades and fists being tossed about like one breaths; without effort or care. The little boy, however was in no shape to move, or help as his arms were turning lovely shades of bluish purple.



Zandra glanced from Drandar to Kiaati. If he thought he was speechless, what was she to be? The words rolling from the former rebellion leader were treasonous to either side, minimum, and humorous on the best of occasions. What on the planet had possessed this woman?



Zandra slowly rolled to her feet as the woman talked and Drandar finally found his voice to ask of her his rather peculiar question, eyebrow raising at the curt response to Drandar. That wasn't like her. No, it didn't bristle Zandra in any way, but it was still abnormal. Shrugging it off as she looked down to her love, she smiled faintly. Man, human was weak .



" Yes. it is."



She confirmed softly, not explaining how she knew, or why, glancing to the boy that was tossed from his seat and back on deck into the storm.



Xamien was tossed back onto the deck in the storm, rain driving down upon him, and he couldn't even grasp at something to keep himself from bouncing about. The winds were too strong anyway, the injuries too extensive. so when the little boy happened to have the luck of tumbling into one of the few barrels on deck, which saved him from being tossed overboard.



Zandra, who barely had any kind of sea legs when normal, battled to remain standing as the boat pitched again. Good grief. unaware of the turmoil above, she made her way to find food and a way to wash. She as human, the least she could be was clean.

[Sushi]

Drandar followed Zandra on unsteady legs. His tail swished this way and that just in simple attempt to keep him on his feet. The man pressed his hands to his stomach, moaning pathetically.



"I'm so hungry, but I'm so sick..." He sighed, shaking his head as he considered all that had just taken place.



"I know that I should probably be concerned, but I just can't make myself be." Ariel was tiredly walking behind. Apparently the child didn't get seasick - finally, a bit of good news!



Kiaati found the child, rushing to him. The woman wrapped her arms around him, lifting him up. He seemed to weigh a thousand pounds more than he had moments ago. The woman actually staggered as she tried to carry him in, her shoulder slamming into the wall. This was probably the only thing that kept them both from falling.



The redhead made her way inside, laying down the boy. She murmured something to him about being right back and left. It took her a few minutes before she was able to find what she was looking for. Her eyes were soft and apologetic as she looked to Xamein. Every one of his tears was like a dagger to her heart.



"Bud, I know that you won't like this. For..." Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat, taking his arm into her hand tenderly as she felt for exactly where the break had slid to. "Forgive me." The one thing was that Kiaati was very practiced, very well trained in medicine (considering). The woman had both bones set back into place quickly, no accuracy lost.



However, as the woman went to lift the bindings, her hands were shaking terribly. Kiaati had been greatly weakened to begin with, and now she was feeling the get drain caused by her small reprieve. The woman balled her fists up, closing her eyes, and forcing herself to take a deep breath. She was so cold, so tired, so weak, so pained. Yet she wasn't thinking of that. She was thinking of her son before her, how miserable he must be.



Help me. It was a silent prayer, a begging wish sent to the powers that ruled the world, whoever they may be. Kiaati opened her bleary eyes once more, able to steady herself somewhat with another breath so as she lifted the wrappings once more there was only a small trembling about her. The woman delicately wrapped Xamein's arms.



"I am so sorry, Xamein." For whatever it was worth. She should have been there to protect him. The woman bent over him, sitting on her knees as she examined him. Her skin was pale with cold, and her head was far more murky. Forget food - how long had it been since she slept? Really slept? Kiaati was taken by a strange impression. She wasn't sure if she was living this, or if it was a working of her imagining.



The woman had seen a room on the way in here. In a way that made her feel outside of herself, she guided Xamein there. There were two hammocks, one right over the other. Maybe there were two on the other side, but she wasn't sure. She was far too cold, far too tired to count as she climbed into the top hammock to lift him there, to swaddle him in the warmth of the blanket. Kiaati moved to get out of the hammock, but she couldn't make her body move, her dripping form collapsing against the netting. It was completely against the way that she normally slept, but Kiaati was deeply lost to the world around her.



But had she really done that? Or was she still sitting there with the child on the floor? Perhaps she had even just passed out as his feet. Kiaati simply didn't know, as that was now beyond her ability to comprehend. She literally had nothing left to give.

[Tree]

A child with no ability to really move yourself about. that was where Xamien was even as he watched Gabriel move his mother in her hammock bellow so that she'd not be half falling in the floor. Xamien said nothing as Gabriel was pushing something into his mouch, wrinkling his nose at the horrid taste. Apparently whatever that odd root had been ( for he'd known at least that much before it'd passed his teeth) was now causing himself to be sleepy enough to ignore the pain in his arms.





Gabriel watched the child's body slowly go limp, then moved him so as not to put further injuries upon him, watching the two figures slumber for a few seconds before heading up on deck. someone needed to assure that they'd not be attacked or ship wrecked while the Chosen slumbered....





Angelica was sitting upon deck as the boat heaved in the tormenting waters, somehow managing to remain where she was as the rain poured down upon her head. Her chosen was human right now, so she was rather uninterested in moving from her little spot, even as Thad brushed by to go help Gabriel sail the boat.





Zandra looked over Drandar and Ariel as she made her way towards the wash room and let herself fall to the bolted down bench and started to peel her clothing off, shoes, socks, cloak....



" here."



She purred after a moment of rummaging in the cabinet upon the boat, having paused in her clothing removal, pushing three small horrid tasting things into his mouth and covering his mouth with her had so he'd not spit it back out. Assuring herself he'd swallowed, she smiled slightly.



" Your stomach will be better soon... until then, we both can get clean."



She purred casually, helping Ariel to get into her own tub, allowing the child to wash and play, pulling the dividing curtains closed, finishing her clothing removal, looking over to Drandar as she got the larger tub ready. She'd push him in if she had to. he smelled to her, and she was human right now.

[Sushi]

Drandar was making a face, trying doubly hard not to vomit. He felt like he had just eaten three dung beetles covered in burnt egg shells.



"What was that?" He scowled, swiping at his face. However, his eyes drifted to the giant metal basin. Just looking at the water, the swishing back and forth, it made him turn two shades of green.



"I'm not sure that's a good idea..."



Gabriel was either very smart or very stupid. Had he really not figured out that Kiaati didn't like being touched? Between nearly smacking him to leaping out of his arms - wasn't there a hint somewhere? If he kept this up, one of these times Kiaati was going to slip up and punch him in the face. However, that was not this time. This time, she was so entirely out of it that she did not so much as rouse at being moved. As Kiaati lay there asleep in the hammock, her mind was too far gone to even create dreams. It roamed about things that already were. The motion of the ship rocked her gently, and the sensation of it stirred something, a sleeping memory.



Liana had been sitting in the gently swaying branches just moments before, but the sound of footsteps had startled her from her perch. Now her gaze was resting upon two faces and the names drifted to the front of her mind.



Kovu and Asauna. They had been here before, or so knew the mind of her memory. But she had sent them away. Kovu's face was contorted with an actual sadness, an emotion that came not from his surly appearance. It resonated within the dark green eyes that rested on the lovely lady beside him. He pressed a hand to her slender back, his fingers playing with her blood red curls as he spoke pleadingly to Liana.



"Please." Liana turned her head to the side, breaking her gaze from the woman whose hand was resting on the tight bulge of her stomach. Asauna spoke, her voice melodic and gentle.



"Liana, we know who you are." A chill ran down the back of her neck and she could have sworn she heard the faint ringing of her shaman's voice behind this stranger's. Her sharp eyes snapped back to the two and she spoke quickly, feeling her skin bristle as she tried to calm the magic churning up within her.



"What are you talking about?" Asauna looked to Kovu and the man reached into his cloak, pulling out a small book. Kiaati's heart leapt just as did Liana's. The witch knew the book, though she had never actually seen it. There were tales about it, tales that her shaman had drilled into her, tales that held certain startling parallels to herself. The human knew the book as well. It was the Trusish that had once passed from Zandra's hands to Jeff and then finally to Kiaati. Her parents had once possessed it? How had it gotten into Zandra's hands? Kovu spoke.



"I don't understand it, but Asauna swears there are words on some of these pages." The woman gently touched Kovu's arm and took over speaking.



"I read about her... about you." Liana shrugged away, not knowing what to do with this. Asauna stepped closer. "Please, Liana... It took us far too long to find you. I know your destiny. You are supposed to save us." Liana's blood ran cold in her veins and she lifted her hands, a thin wall of energy forming between herself and these two.

[Sushi]

"I don't know what you want, but..." Kovu stepped to wrap his arm around the woman, though he did not try to breach Liana's wall.



"Hear us out." The rest of Liana's words fell flat on her lips. She felt compelled. How did these people know her secret? Asauna's voice came out hesitantly only after Kovu had nudged her.



"I can't tell you how this story fell into my lap. I was sworn to secrecy. But I can tell you that I have only been able to see words since I have begun to swell." Her other hand moved to her stomach as well as she looked down. "That has to mean something, right?" Liana didn't answer, her fingers beginning to tremble despite herself. Asauna looked up, peering at her with an intensity that a thousand others had seen in her daughter's own face. The woman continued.



"I know that you must have a companion, one that you must know from the beginnings of youth. And I also know that your companion must die if you are to be set free upon your path." The wall fell apart as Liana's stomach lurched into her throat.



"You can't possibly mean..." Kovu gripped his lover's hand and broke in again. Apparently it was a bad habit.



"Yes. The truth only revealed itself to Asauna after this baby was made. It only makes sense that this little one is entangled in your prophecy." Liana's voice broke as she shook her head vigorously.



"I can't..." Kovu shook his head.



"Listen. We have tried to fight this thing, the horrible changes that everyone can see growing in the demons. The cruelty is only getting worse. That is not a world for our child. We can't protect it. If there has to be a death, please let it be of consent. Don't tear out the hearts of two unknowing parents. Liana, if giving our baby to you will save our entire race, then it is a worthwhile sacrifice. It is the least harm and the greatest good." Liana's eyes worked across the earnest faces of the two parents. She wanted to cry. She wanted to be sick. But at the same time, everything made sense... Her voice was a mere whisper.



"How many moons are left?" Asauna looked down at the bulge.



"Only half a cycle."



"I know someone that will hide you until the birth. Give me your hand." Liana gripped the woman's delicate hand with her own tiny ones. She gently stroked the inside of the woman's forearm, whispering a soft incantation as lines appeared on the flesh. "This is a map to guide you. The house is in the fields by the forest outskirts of a town called Dendrameire. The family name is Bridgestone. Tell them that you are looking for a shaman to bless you. This will let them know I have sent you, and they will give you sanctuary." Suddenly Asauna leaned down and kissed the girl's forehead.



"Thank you, child." Liana looked away.



"You know I am not a child. I only pray you also know what you are doing." Kovu took Asauna into his arms and offered a rueful smile as he placed a hand on the bulge.



"A sacrifice for the least harm and greatest good." That was what Kiaati was meant to be.



Drandar's ears perked up and he turned his head without a word. The two furry ears were cocked high as he was trying to read whether he should be concerned with what he heard. On the other side of the wall, he could hear a dull and fast thumping. Kiaati lay there submerged in the depths of sleep, her face completely unmarked. Yet, Drandar was hearing the racing of her heart, how it pounded nearly out of her chest. Normally, a pulse was inaudible.

[Tree]

As the ship swayed back and forth, Zandra noted how Drandar turned a small shade darker, but said nothing as she was soon helping him bathe, and then dress in the only thing that was clean that fit his awkward shape. As she absently brushed her love's hair out of his eyes, she smirked as she reached up to pet his ears. The best part as he started to purr? he couldn't do it back.



Slowly Zandra followed suit and was bathing, not worried about Drandar around, washing her curls slowly, glad that the herbs had worked on Drandar's stomach issues, pulling herself out of the tub and drying off, then dressing slowly in the clothing she had on hand. She kept female clothing, male... well, she wasn't a guy.. so what did Drandar expect? there were limits to how many male articles she could pull out before there simply were no more.





As Zandra was dressed, she smiled cutely at Drandar, springing up to steal a small kiss from his lips, reaching up to pet his ears again. Honestly, she probably shouldn't push too far, but... Well, she was human, and had recovered from whatever foul mood she'd been in for turning human, and was making the most of it, wondering off to find somewhere to sleep. Where did she find? The captains cabin. Laying little Ariel down, all clean and dressed in a shirt with hood that looked just like Drandar's robes did ( Save a different color) and got her comfortable on the small lounge couch, making sure the child fell asleep before tugging Drandar to the tiny room where the bed was, tugging him up with her.







Ariel :



<a href='http://costumesfornativity.com/wp-conte ... 00x300.jpg' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://costumesfornativity.com/wp-conte ... 300.jpg</a>



Drandar:



<a href='http://i.ebayimg.com/23/!Bq0bQ7Q!2k~$%2 ... g~~_35.JPG' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://i.ebayimg.com/23/!Bq0bQ7Q!2...l-69jg~~_35.JPG</a>





zandra:



<a href='http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/462 ... 244f12.jpg' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/462 ... f12.jpg</a>



<a href='http://img.alibaba.com/wsphoto/v0/38883 ... wear-M.jpg' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://img.alibaba.com/wsphoto/v0/38883 ... r-M.jpg</a>

[Sushi]

Drandar had growled along with his purring, but it was simply playful. As he felt better a little better, it was just a relaxing thing. It was nice to be taunted like this, to think that things would still be okay... even if he felt like a mix between a monk and a cross dresser. The man didn't complain, however. Now that he was not so sick, sleeping was a welcome relief. Hunger could be mastered later.











After a few hours, Kiaati's eyes opened and her body seemed to jerk slightly, her breathing fast and heavy. She blinked rapidly, slowly bringing herself to sit up as she pulled her hair out of her face. Her lips were parted slightly and her dark green eyes were widened in complete surprise. Her skin felt cold from the realization left behind from the vision in her dreams, but even as she thought about it, the memory came freely now. Slowly her lips stretched into a smile. Kiaati then did something completely out of character.



She leapt to her feet, running through the boat. She wasn't concerned about Xamein, as he was still asleep. The woman sought out the demons, and it seemed like she had forgotten the way that she hurt. Then, as strange as it was, she leapt right on top of Zandra. Suddenly it was as if she had regressed a decade or so, as she shook the demon's shoulders, either not thinking or not caring about the possibility of being hurt (she knew better than anyone just how much damage a human could do).



"Zandra! Zandra, wake up!" Her eyes bright, still astride the woman's middle, to shake Drandar. "Drandar, you too!" The man roused with a groan. What now? Kiaati didn't seem panicked, but it seemed that her sanity had been on a downward hill recently. Maybe she was excited that the boat was on fire or something. Either way, he found that he didn't have time to ask, as Kiaati had volunteered what was on her mind the second that she ascertained they were awake.



"I have a name!" She laughed wildly. Drandar just looked at her in a sort of disbelief.



"Of course you have a name. You have a bunch of them. We tend to favor Kiaati, though." Kiaati just shook her head, absently smoothing out the filthy fabric of her shirt.



"No, no... Kiaati Ileena-Tay Eldridge. That's it. My full name - I have one! Liana knew it, but a lot of her memories are crammed in my head so I don't remember until something pulls it out. Kiaati Ileena-Tay Eldridge. Kiaati Ileena-Tay Eldridge." She sat there, repeating it. This was a feeling that most people couldn't understand. All her life she had been Kiaati, just Kiaati. The others knew who they were: Zandra Lynne Condrilan and Drandar Cade Taversham. And then it hit her.



"Kiaati. Ileena. Tay. Eldridge. K-I-T-E." Her eyes were wide as they shifted to Zandra. "That jerk! HE KNEW! HE KNEW AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME! ALL THAT TIME! KITE! BUT HE NEVER TOLD ME!" Kiaati only just then became aware of the fact that she had been shaking Zandra again as though it was her fault.

[Tree]

zandra growled, and tossed Kiaati off her, not off the bed, but off of her. Why? cause she'd not been sleeping, and she'd not been in the mind set to be jostled about. Looking over Kiaati, Zandra nodded ever so slightly, sparing Drandar a glance before yawning.



" Congrats."



she purred faintly. This woman did not have the energy to get too terribly excited. Who could blame her? It's not like she'd gotten large amounts of sleep. Or like she intended to go to sleep in the near future. Absently she moved to steal a small kiss from Drandar, snuggling up to him, ignoring how the boat rocked. The storm apparently hadn't let up yet.





Gabriel sighed as they continued on in the pouring rain, not having a CLUE where they were headed, as stealing a boat and just starting to sail in these waters was likely the most questionable ideas his chosen had come with to date. But he held his tongue as they voyaged on, allowing Thad and Angelic to assist him about deck, this trio likely the only that could withstand the winds that now whipped at them.



Xamien had awoken when his mother had brushed past, but he'd not followed her completely, having crawled up onto the couch with Ariel, slipping to sleep beside her. he liked the company.

[Sushi]

Kiaati didn't mind being shoved off of Zandra. In fact, she had obliged without a fuss. However, as she climbed off of the bed, the woman realized what exactly she had been doing. She wasn't allowed to behave that way. There was no excuse. So, Kiaati gathered herself once more into that dignified manner, and she left the two to rest. What meant so much to her didn't mean anything them anyhow - not that she could blame them.



The tired, aching woman made her way down the hall, pausing by the children. The woman's dark green eyes swept across her son, and she let her hand brush across his little head. Her sympathy ran deep. He shouldn't have had to deal with this. Now Kiaati moved however, pushing away the wishes that she would have been able to sleep longer.



The redhead stepped out onto the deck into the barrage of the storm. She looked between them all and then crossed the deck. With the way that the winds tore at her clothes, it made one wonder how she wasn't being blown away. In all reality, it wasn't easy. She had to think a little more than normal about how she was putting her feet down. The woman walked up to the mainstay, pulling the rigging to take up the sails. Her hands were tender, even through the thick bandages.



"Let her go dead in the water! It'd be better than to fight this and capsize. No one will be able to find us easily in this mess anyhow. Come on inside. Rest." It was surprising how Kiaati could project her voice over the storm, but at the same time it seemed pretty typical. Kiaati released the catch to drop the anchor before disappearing below deck.



The woman ran across the stocks in the hold. It wasn't bad. They would be able to stay out at sea for some time if they really needed to. Either way, she carried some food upstairs. Everyone aboard was in dire need of something to eat. Kiaati could provide some warm food, even if it wasn't the most delicate of meals. Beside that giant pot of food, she had a small clay bowl that she was making something else in. For the moment, she was staring at the simmering green liquid with a degree of skepticism. Don't worry, she was not going to use that as her 'special sauce' or anything.



This was probably one of the few times that Drandar didn't wake up for food. He was exhausted, and sleep was winning.

[Tree]

Zandra sighed, watching her man sleep, feeling the boat settle down, if only slightly, listening as the winds ripped at the little craft in the water. The issue being that anchor didn't stop them. Not the slightest really. By the time the storm cleared, they were washed up on an island. Slowly Zandra left her love to investigate where they were, discovering she had no knowledge of this place.





However, still being human, she did not climb off the ship. After all, everyone else was resting, having been fed, and sent back to bed. There did not appear to be anyone about, and the entire coast was overgrown with a foliage she could not identify. This place.. was odd.



However, Zandra set, watching the waves splash about, the sky finally clear, and jumped when Xamien had made a peep. The poor boy, he was utterly defenseless right now. Perhaps he'd heal quickly. Elves had a rumored ability for those kinds of things.



Zandra said nothing, even when Xamien asked if they were 'there' yet, shrugging slightly, trying to figure out what fish swam about the boat.

[Sushi]

Kiaati had been milling about and tending things for a while now, though she did so in silence. The woman had a name, but with it came a haunting sort of knowledge. Things were slowly falling into place, filtering in to define exactly who she was. She was learning things that she never wanted to know about how she came to be what was was. The weight on her shoulders was quickly growing too heavy for one human to bear. However, Kiaati bore it well. Not a soul would know.



The woman had come to find Xamein just a little bit after he had spoken. Her gaze turned between Zandra at the boy before she did anything. The demon as a human looked completely different to Kiaati. She could almost forget who Zandra really was, the reason that she was feared. Still, she looked pensive over everything, so Kiaati didn't bother her. The redhead was trying to prepare what to do now in this place that even she didn't recognize, so Kiaati gently pressed a hand to Xamein's back to guide him back into the ship for a little bit.



"Come on, Bud. We're going to make sure you and Ariel..." Kiaati suddenly trailed off, her back straightening slightly as she stopped in the middle of the hallway. The woman's dark green gaze pierced through the emptiness around her, almost alarmed.



Thump. She had felt this before, but she couldn't quite recall... No, wait. Kiaati had never felt this before. Liana had. It felt like a walnut being bounced off of her sternum, except that it caused the hairs on her arms to stand on end. That is what it felt like when someone tried to cast a spell on you and it rebounded. Kiaati's eyes shot to the band around her finger. Zandra had said that it would protect her from spells, so of course the demon would know that. Who else...?



Having freshly woken up, Drandar walked out onto the deck, eating an apple. He stood beside Zandra, glancing over everything.



"So where are we?" Granted, the man wasn't going to argue. The boat had stopped rocking, so he felt like he could actually walk again, even without his tail.



"In the land of lost things." To Drandar's surprise, the answer did not come from Zandra, but from another woman. This one had just walked out of the foliage and was now crouched on the banister. She was definitely a demon, Drandar had no doubt of that, so naturally he moved to the defensive. However, he couldn't help but pause over what he saw.



The woman was pretty enough, but there was an uncanny resemblance to Zandra. Do not misunderstand. They were by no means identical. However they had the same proud, sharp cheekbones and the same piercing eyes. Zyiada also had the chestnut brown hair that Zandra once had shown, though Zyiada's was straight. Why was this a big deal? Well, because her face was both similar enough and different enough to be recognizable.



Zyiada was Zandra's grandmother, otherwise known as the Lost Queen. The line was matriarchal, the crown passed through the eldest daughters. Zyiada had been the queen when everything began to change. In fact, had she not disappeared, then the suppression of humans might have been stopped in the earliest stages, might have never happened. However, she had disappeared, no one knowing what had happened. No one knew that she had been the first to walk Zandra's path, no one knew that she had Fallen from the role of Princess.



Kiaati moved to run immediately, something was coming. Something bad. However, she swirled around after not only two steps, her ears catching the whisperings of another spell. There was a pop introducing a teleported presence, but Kiaati had already swept herself over Xamein, and she felt that sort of walnut strike as the spell broke across her back. She swept the child to the side in the same motion that she drew her weapon with.



"Go. Find Gabriel and the others." She really just didn't want to put him in this perilous situation, not in his current condition... she wasn't sure she could protect them both against this particular foe. Kiaati turned sharply to find herself face to face with a woman that was entirely too familiar. It was the same creature that had buried the trio, the creature with Kiaati's appearance save black hair. The cruel woman gave a laugh in Kiaati's own voice, for it was the same one.



"How pathetic." Kiaati didn't hesitate this time to respond. She launched into a fight. The stranger was a little startled, and a little more perplexed as to why her spells wouldn't work directly on Kiaati. They struggled, and then they both fell through the hatch to the hold below. The woman gathered herself even as Kiaati got up quickly, ignoring the way that every one of her injuries hurt even worse from the fall.



"How pathetic," she repeated. "Look at me. How can you expect to succeed where I failed? A witch versus a human? Hah! Fate has a funny sense of humor. Making the second Chosen without the most important part? How did they expect a weak little human to even stand a chance?" Kiaati would not listen. She couldn't listen, she knew, or else she might believe it with the way that all horrors seemed to be truth recently. Now the dark-haired woman drew a weapon, engaging in hand-to-hand combat.



Drandar of course didn't know exactly who Zyiada was. He was just struck by the resemblance. The woman laughed softly, but as she did so, there was a vague sense of dread that came from it. That was not the laugh of a benign woman.



"Aww... You don't recognize me. That's a shame, I know all about you." The new demon woman turned her sharp eyes to Zandra.



"You were born a princess, but you had warrior in your blood. Fight, fight, fight, little Princess. You grew up bad." Zyiada's lips curved into a smirk. Her next comment was said in a singsong voice. "I know what you've done." She stalked to the side on the deck, grinning evilly even as Kiaati and Itaaik fell grappling into the hold below. Of course Zyiada knew - Itaaik was aligned with the Lost Queen.



"See, a lifetime ago I was you." Zyiada shrugged flippantly. "But I'm not the Warrior Princess anymore. You want to know why I'm a Fallen?" Her eyes lit up as the 'secret' spilled from her lips. "I killed my Prince."



This was how it was supposed to be, though. To reach the end, Kiaati would have to face herself. Zandra would have to face her past.

[Tree]

Zandra glanced to Drandar, then back to the woman. Crap. She was freaking blasted human right now, too. dang it. The woman's words did not rub her so raw as the fact of who she was. Honestly, Demons only cared so much about their young, let alone extended family like grandparents and such. So Zandra could tell they were related, but not who she was. she did not care.



Crap. That was the extent of the woman's thoughts as she considered the stranger.



" Drandar..."



she purred softly, not wishing her love to get too close, unaware of the issues that Kiaati was facing. she had more pressing matters to attend to anyway. The only good news? the Obscarians were tending the children and keeping them safe from harm. They were innocents after all.





Tilting her head to the side slightly, Zandra finally shook her head.



" I know what I've done too, our point?"



She asked point blank, blowing off all the rest of the comments, or appearing to anyway. She wasn't entirely defenseless, but she was not keen on fighting a full demon in human form.Yes, she was on the seas, her mastery though when in human form was alot lower caliber.... This could be problematic.

[Sushi]

Zyiada was not the exact same person as Zandra. It was like Itaaik and Kiaati; though mostly similar, there were a few key differences. They had each walked the same path, but only to a point. Obviously, the first set of Chosen never made it to the underwater labyrinth. Still, it was enough.



"I thought you would like to know how much you are going to enjoy this. Here, in this place of lost things... Your cause is lost." Drandar didn't like the threat in her voice, or the way she moved to come closer. The man shifted slightly and then found himself ducking to avoid a shuriken... his weapon of choice? Zyiada laughed evilly.



"Yeah, I have you to thank for that, Love." Drandar gave Zandra a look. She had called him down, but he would fight to protect her. She was vulnerable right now, and he knew it. The man looked up to Zyiada flicking her hand to the side, the simple act of moving having caught his eye.



"I thought this would be far more entertaining. Oh well. I guess I was wrong... In which case, let's have it over with. You don't seem to have reached the proper conclusion, the one that I came to. The long and short of it is this: you're on a fool's errand. Haven't you figured out that the world will eventually balance itself out? Apparently not, as you're still putting up with your Prince. But don't worry, I can help you with that."



When she dropped her hand, a wave of water splashed over the boat. Drandar's claws extended, digging into the planks as the entire boat tilted a little. The water seemed never to end, but he pulled air down through it so that he could breathe. This was going to be hard. How was he to tell the difference between what Zandra did and what Zyiada did? What if they were the same sort of creature?

[Tree]

zandra glanced to Drandar and her entire being was coiling, glancing to the skies about. Another two hours. She'd be demon in two hours, much too long for her liking. It would be two more hours before that wet moon was completely gone, and she'd be you know... able to rip this woman apart.





However, it was not two hours from now. She was human, and all she had the ability to do was make the water stop, and pull Drandar back up, glaring at the woman who resembled her so.



" I want mine. Thanks. "



she spat sharply, considering her some-what old counter part, seriously not liking the way this woman was working.



" Besides, if you've given up on the task, why meddle with someone who chose to pick it up?"