Vernon Shulls's Story

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“…Ah..!” Sitting up from her position bent over the railing at the bow of the ship, Carmen Rufferones turned to look towards the horizon. There it was again. That nagging voice and feeling in the back of her mind. It was kind of like when she went down to the hold to get something, and then forgot why she went down there in the first place, and so then she went above deck and remembered she needed the mop and… What was she worried about again? Drumming her fingers along the rim of the railing, Carmen turned around, leaning her back towards the ocean as she let out a deep sigh, throwing her head back and looking up to the gulls in the sky. Squinting through the sunlight, she recalled how it had been kind of boring these past few days. They’d been at sea a couple of weeks, or was it months now? She never was good at tracking time. Either way, they’d already interrupted a few trading vessels between Hylen and the nearby ports; and there hadn’t been another ship since then. Maybe they’d already altered their trade routes once word had spread?

Rotating around again to face the ocean, Carmen fiddled with her pocket to retrieve her spyglass, peering out across the horizon for any signs of activity. Not a boat, dinghy or shoreline in sight. Maybe she’d have to try her luck and give the wheel a spin? That normally led them somewhere interesting at the very least. Then again, she wasn’t the captain. Even if she was the navigator, she couldn’t change their course without a reason. Perhaps she was just being impatient. Shrinking down the spyglass and pocketing it once more, Carmen gave another small sigh. “Even if I am being impatient, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s super boring right now!” Raising her voice towards the end and rocking back and forth against the railing, Carmen huffed and turned towards the deck, stomping over towards the masts and where she knew their captain would be. Sure enough, he was slumped in a hammock, dozing slightly in the morning sun and letting the steady sway of the ship rock him to sleep.

“Vernooooonnnn, this is boring! Can’t we go back to shore or go looking for some treasure or something?” Whining and gently shaking the hammock to get her captain’s attention, Carmen was as petulant as ever. Groaning faintly, Captain Shulls, the Blade Hoarder slowly scratched his head and gave a yawn, lazily opening an eye. Then, shifting his leg slightly, he kicked Carmen squarely in the side of the head, knocking the dazed woman to the deck. Howling out in pain, Carmen clutched her face, whimpering before turning back to Vernon to shout indignantly. “What the hell Cap’n?! What was that for?!”

“Not so boring now, is it Ruffles?” Vernon smirked, folding his arms behind his head. Watching the girl prattle on angrily about his abuse was mildly amusing, but it did seem to have taken her mind off of her boredom. Honestly, he hadn’t met many merfolk, but he wondered if they were all as childish as this one. Once Ruffles paused long enough to let him get another word in, Vernon rolled out of the hammock, standing up and stretching. Flicking her in the forehead, Vernon scratched himself as he lazily headed over to the edge of the ship. “If you’re still bored, you can start by making the Captain and his crew their breakfast.” Unzipping his fly, Captain Vernon attended to the first business of the day. Averting her gaze, Carmen grumbled about vulgarity, but quickly changed topic. “I only cook for those who earn their keep. Frankly, you don’t deserve anything from me Captain.”

As Vernon whistled and finished his morning relief, the pirate seemed unfazed by Carmen’s comment, straightening up his belt before turning back to face her. “Guess you ain’t eating either. For our resident Lady luck, we haven’t exactly had much luck.” Striding back over to Carmen, Vernon gave her a couple of pats on the shoulder. “We’ll head back for shore. See if we can find some more work or figure out what route the merchants have changed to. It’ll be a good chance to restock our supplies as well.” Continuing past Carmen, Vernon began making his way below deck, waving his hand. “See to it that we get there soon, Navigator.” Nodding vigorously, Carmen gave a firm salute. “Aye Aye Captain! You can count on me! Oi! Harvey! Jenkins! Get the sail turned around, we’re heading back to Hylen!”

---

“Harvey, you’re in charge while we run supplies. Try to lie low, but be ready to set sail and meet us at the usual spot if things go south. Anyone asks, you’re merchants taking shelter from pirates.” Vernon called out to his crew before sliding down the rope ladder on the side, firmly landing on the pier behind Carmen. On his back was a large wrapped tarp, filled with all sorts of jagged shapes, slung over his shoulder with a simple strap. Of course, this wasn’t to sell or store their purchases; Vernon rarely went anywhere without an armoury of weapons ready to use. Beside him, Carmen trotted along, eying up the various stalls and wares as they headed down Market street. She too had some bags ready to collect supplies, but for the most part, they’d need to get a cart down to the docks and have them loaded onto the ship in bulk.

“Do you have to wear that ridiculous hat?” Vernon asked, noting the stares the duo were getting and attributing it to his comrades strange fashion sense.

“Of course! How else will they know that I’m a proud member of the Silverstar Pirates?”

“That’s precisely the opposite of what we want, but I suppose I should be thankful that no pirate would be stupid enough to declare themselves like that. You’re lucky you can hide in plain sight, Ruffles.”

“Heh, yeah… Wait, are you calling me stupid?!”

“No, I was talking about all the other pirates that walk around wearing pirate hats…”

---

“Thanks for taking the time to help us. The way you talk about it, we’re lucky we made it here in one piece.” Vernon spoke to the merchant in front of him, handing over the coins as the sailors and merchants helped load up his vessel. Arms folded, he surveyed the work, but there was something more important he needed to address. Thankfully, no one seemed particularly suspicious of him or his crew. So long as they kept up appearances, they had all the paperwork and makings of a trade ship. They could blend in seamlessly, restock their supplies, and head back out to sea with the town none the wiser. Still, if he could get some more information about the local trade ships and why the channels had been so quiet, that’d go a long way to giving them some job security over the next few days. “Still, to think that there’s pirates about. I imaging your trading vessels would’ve suffered some losses…”

“Well, after our first ship was pillaged, we had to take certain precautions…” Stroking his beard, the older merchant was a larger fellow, and seemed to be the leader for the local traders. “In fact, we’ve put a stop on the port for all our merchant vessels. It’s our hope that if we keep things quiet they’ll have to move on. You’d best stay in town until we receive word that they’re elsewhere.” As the merchant spoke more and more, Vernon could only smile. How trusting of the man to provide so much information… And how naïve. Still, that explained why the past few days they hadn’t spotted a single ship worth robbing. Perhaps this was an opportunity that he could take advantage of.

“Is that so? Unfortunately, we’re a bit short on time, we have more deliveries to make in Archaeon. I’m confident in the Fillagray to outrun any pirates, so if there’s any supplies you’d like delivered, we’d happily take them… Of course, there’d be a fee, and we’d need a trade document from you…” Vernon turned towards the man, eying him off. If there had been a freeze on sea-trade, the town would likely be behind on their schedules. If they were all scared to leave port, they might just be willing to share their profit with a fellow ‘merchant’ if it meant getting their business running again. Of course, anything they did want delivered… Well, this was an easier way to rob them than intercepting at sea.

“Hmm… Well, it is true that we’re due to make a delivery to Archaeon… I’ll speak with my associates and see whether we can make arrangements.” The merchant nodded, raising an eyebrow. “Of course, this’ll all depend on that fee you speak of…”

“Naturally. I’m sure that fine gentleman such as ourselves can come to a fair arrangement…” Smirking again, Vernon gestured into the nearby bar, leading the way to further discussion.

---

“…So we’ve got ourselves some extra cargo to ‘deliver’. Roscoe wants us to take it to Archaeon, though we’re holding off until morning. Apparently even the travel ships have been hiding out for fear of us, so we’re going to have some extra passengers for the journey.” Sipping his beer, Vernon set it down gently, eying over the rest of his crew. “We’ll do some honest work if no one asks questions. If things go south, we’ll leave them adrift and let the tide take them in.” Rolling back in his seat, Vernon put his feet up on the table. “Which means don’t do anything stupid, got that?”

”Aye aye Captain!” Was the resounding chorus from the men, Carmen included. They’d done similar scams in the past, and depending on who was on board, they might even rob or thieve from a few of them before they dropped them off at a port. That was her job. Well, not the actual stealing, but she was a nice, friendly face. Her job was to make friends, scout their valuables and see if any of them were worth holding up. Vernon said they already had a few passengers wanting to go to a few places, but the one that caught her eye was Dragon Cove. Why was it that the name seemed important to her? Shrugging it off, Ruffles ordered herself a drink while she plotted out their course on the map. As navigator, that was also one of her duties; and one of the things that she knew how to do pretty well. She’d see Dragon’s Cove herself in a few days’ time. She’d work out why it seemed familiar then.

---

The first sign that things were amiss was the turn in the weather. A strong, foul wind began blowing against the sails, a thick and unsettling smell in the air. The skies turned grey, and the waters grew darker as they began to churn and foam, whipping into a frenzy that began to batter the galleon about as it dipped and dived over each crest. “What the hell is this…?” Vernon muttered to himself as he tightened the rigging, adjusting the sails to try and account for the new, more brutal weather. “Oysten! Putts! Tie down the cannons; it looks like we’re in for a rough ride!” Rain was now beginning to pelt the deck and cut even more visibility, lightning crackling through the sky as if tearing the heavens itself asunder. If Vernon believed in the gods, he might think they’d somehow pissed them off.

Gritting his teeth as a wave buffeted him as it poured over the side of the ship, Vernon shook his hair clear of his eyes, turning to shout over his shoulder to his partner. “Oi! Ruffles! What’s with this storm? I thought you were chartering a clear course!” Grimacing as another flash of lightning struck the waters near them, Vernon hoped that their Lady Luck could hear him over the thunder. “See where’s the nearest place to dock! This shit will tear us apart if we stay out in it too much longer!” Calling out as loudly as he could, Vernon didn’t hear any response from Carmen, which was a little odd. She better not be sleeping through this somehow…

“I don’t get it! I glimpsed the weather and there shouldn’t have been anything like this! You sure you idiots didn’t steer us off course?” Finally, the mermaid responded as she came up from below deck, ship’s compass in hand as she tried to make sense of their heading. Holding her hat to her head to stop it blowing off in the wind, Carmen squinted through the rain to watch the compass turn, slowly heading up towards where Barten was at the wheel. “The only idiot around here is you for getting us into this mess!” Vernon shouted as he slung around the side of the ship, landing on deck to help tie one of the cannons into place. “Oysten! Get to work on bailing out the lower decks! I don’t want a single piece of the cargo spoiled, hear me?!”

“Hey I am NOT an idiot!-” Dragging herself up to the stern of the boat and next to Barten, Carmen got a firm grip on the support as she double checked the compass. “-And apparently, neither is the crew. So why…” Mumbling to herself, Carmen was certain that they were on track. So why then were they in the middle of this typhoon? Gesturing Barten to move aside, Carmen got a hold of the wheel. “Go help Vernon with the cannons, I can handle this.” Tipping her hat down as she became serious, Carmen winced slightly as she felt a flash of something. Then her eyes went wide. “Wait! Untie the cannons!”

Vernon looked up to Carmen like she was insane. He also said as much. “Are you crazy? Why would we-“ Before Vernon could even finish his sentence, a cacophonous roar filled the sky, and for all but a moment it’s shadow was imposed above on the clouds, illuminated by lightning. Everyone on the crew seemed to freeze, before someone finally shouted out in alarm. “Dragon!” Harsh winds battered the ship once more, the crew struggling to stand against the force. Was this murderous storm a result of this beast?! Vernon turned back to Carmen, and as he did, she was already there, holding out a large shield. Grinning, Vernon took it. “Thanks, Partner.” Nodding happily, Carmen began heading below deck once more. “Barten! Hold the wheel while Carmen gets prepared. Oysten, keep bailing! Harvey, Jenkins, get these port side cannons ready for when this monster comes by! Putts, get those cannonballs up on deck!” Shouting orders to his crew, Vernon turned to try and catch sight of where the gigantic dragon had moved to.

“Bow of the ship! 1 O’clock! Incoming!” The call came from below deck, Carmen crying out to Vernon as he swiftly moved into place, shifting the shield into place. Just as he got into position, a blast of lightning cut through the sky, striking the shield and dissipating across its surface. Any ordinary weapon would’ve melted under the heat and power, but Vernon didn’t specialise in ordinary weapons. Getting back up on to the deck, Carmen had a bundle of gear in her arms, moving into position back at the wheel, but ready to retrieve anything Vernon needed in an instant. This was how their team worked. She could see just far enough into the future to anticipate what weapon Vernon would need in order to get it to him in time. With so many different kinds with different abilities, there always seemed to be something for each situation.

“So, that’s a dragon huh?” Vernon sneered, eying up the giant beast in the sky. It was an intimidating looking thing, black as night, with jutting spikes all over its outer features. Carmen was pulling out a large lance, tossing it to her captain. “Not just any dragon, a Storm Dragon! I’ve heard stories about this thing. Wings that shape the tides and the sky, breath like lightning and a roar like thunder…” The mermaid, moved back to the wheel, turning hard to try and get them into position for a cannon volley. “Sounds like a worthy opponent. Harvey! Jenkins, how are those cannons coming along?!” Vernon called out to his crew, but his eyes stayed on the flying prize in the sky.

“Trying sir, they’re tied down pretty tight!” Came the panicked wail, a quick glance revealing that neither was in good position to start shooting. Vernon swore. “Forget being careful, cut the damn ropes! I’ll see if I can hold it off!” As he said that, the sky cracked with more lightning, Vernon giving a grunt of exertion as he moved about the ship, barely managing to stay upright between the sway and the blasts. If a stray bolt hit them, the ship would go up in flames. Intercepting the next few lightning strikes, another heavy roar filled the sky, the monster turning from its position flying around and above them, and beginning a fast and furious charge straight at them. “Just try it you bastard!” Vernon yelled out, rushing forward to meet the dragon. “No 12! Pierce the horizon!” With a war cry, Vernon tossed the lance, a crackle of energy rippling through the air as it went right on target straight at the dragon!

Then, just as it hit, the spear bounced off, deflecting high into the sky. Still, the strike seemed to deter the dragon, causing it to pull up slightly. It wasn’t enough though. The ship couldn’t avoid all damage, the monster crashing through the mast and crow’s nest rather than the side of the ship. With the main mast down, they were going to be out at sea a bit longer this time. Swearing, Vernon looked to Carmen and the others, but didn’t say anything for the moment. He knew she was doing the best she could to avoid damage to the ship, and if this thing took out the mast, then that was the best future she’d seen. Calling his lance to return to him, the magic weapon emerged from the water, spiralling through the air before catching in his hand. “Harvey! We need those cannons, now!”

“Loaded and ready sir!” Came the call from Putts, having finished bringing enough munitions up to the deck. “Alright! Carmen, get us in position! Fire on your mark!” Vernon called out, getting in position to meet the dragon as it came by again. “Aye aye Captain!” The mermaid called out, knowing things were serious if the Captain was calling her by her name. Shutting her eyes as she spun the wheel, Carmen guided the ship so the cannons were on the right angle. Vernon looked out to sea, watching the dragon coming by for another pass, roaring at them once more and sending another frenzy of lightning bolts from its mouth. Gritting his teeth, Vernon intercepted with his shield again, stumbling back before looking back to his navigator. “Any time now Ruffles!”

“Don’t rush me!” Carmen snapped back, opening her eyes to check the dragon’s approach. Then, as soon as it drew no more than a few metres away- “Fire!” Explosions rang out as the three cannons blasted, the heavy cannonballs right on target- “What?!” Carmen stood, stunned as the dragon twisted, wrapping itself in its wings before hitting the ocean, ducking under the waves to avoid the cannon fire before resurfacing. Like a torpedo, the spinning spike looked destined to strike the ship and stab through the hull-

“Tough bastard!” Vernon screamed, getting into position with his shield and pushing up under the beast, letting the collected energy of the shield release, blasting the dragon upwards. It shrieked, breaking out of its condensed form and taking flight once more, heading back out to sea. In a flash, Carmen knew what he wanted, and quickly tossed the chained harpoon over to Vernon. Just before the dragon could get clear, Vernon ran after it, catching the weapon mid stride as he threw out the harpoon. Hitting its mark, the blade seemed to sink in somewhere in the underbelly, Vernon dropping the shield as Carmen tossed a sword his way, Vernon barely getting the chance to place it in his mouth before he was gone, hanging tight to the chain as the dragon flew back into the sky with him attached. Barely hanging on with his two hands through the slick rain, Vernon battled the rushing wind and clouds as he began to climb, getting as close as he could to the beast before drawing up the blade, slashing and stabbing at the underside. The dragon reacted, but the sword barely managed to slice through the thick carapace, and not a drop of blood spilled. “You’re a hard one, I’ll give you that! You’re gonna make a fine weapon for me once I have your head!”

Watching the dragon soaring about the sky, Carmen felt terror seizing her heart. Vernon was strong, sure, but there was no way he could handle a dragon like that! He’d either fall, or the dragon would hit the ocean or or-Why couldn’t she see what she needed to save them?! Just as she was thinking that, Carmen felt a bolt through her mind, a thought, a pulse of life. Words. ”Child of the Sea, the Deep Ocean Blue. Receive now, our power, and drive away the Darkness!” Staggering slightly, Carmen felt a million vivid pictures and scenarios filling her mind, flashes of what was, and the potentials of what could be. Fate was in her hands. Glowing with a faint light, Carmen moved over to the panicked Harvey and Jenkins. “Barten, get back on the wheel. Jenkins, we’re going to save the captain, but I need your magic. Putts, load the cannons again. The four of them…”

Up in the sky, Vernon found himself clinging on for dear life, having slipped down the chain and lost his sword to the dark depths below. If he could get on top, maybe he could- Grimacing as another roar deafened his ears, Vernon felt the tug on his body as they changed direction once more, sweeping back and heading for the boat. He couldn’t let this thing ruin them! If they sunk out here, they didn’t stand a chance of all making it back to shore! “I won’t- Let you…!” Gritting his teeth again, Vernon started to climb… Then- “Captain!” The voice came from far below, shouted from a familiar navigator. Vernon smirked. She must have had a weapon ready for hi- “Let go! On my mark!” Vernon paused for a moment. What was that crazy girl planning now?

“1…!” She had to be insane. He’d die if he dropped from this height…

“2…!” Surely there was a better plan than this…

“3!” At Carmen’s voice, Vernon was dropping, relinquishing his grip on the harpoon as he descended towards the ocean. At the same time, the sound of not one but four cannons filled the air. And as he fell, Vernon couldn’t help but smile. “That crazy idiot…” As the cannon ball flew through the air towards him, Vernon extended his hand, and in a moment, snatched the scabbard and sword in just as it was about to pass him, snapping the rope that had been effused to both it and the cannonball. It seemed Jenkin’s magic was coming in handy. Continuing his fall to towards the ocean, Vernon swung his blade, creating a carpet of wind beneath him to both cushion his fall, and to guide him towards the ship. Ruffles plan had worked to save him, but what about-

Up above, the dragon had seen the attack coming, and perhaps could have dodged a couple of simple cannon strikes. In fact, all three were going wide, on either side of it. Perhaps it was an attempt to have it dodge into them. Moving to flap its wings to hang in place, the dragon realised far too late the trap that lay before it. As the cannon balls reached their target, the rope connecting the two became more apparent, and in moments, the dragon was ensnared, the cannonballs swinging around it like bolas and impeding its flight as it fell to the ocean. The tremendous splash rocked the area, and the crew stood in stunned silence. That made it all the easier for Carmen to hear the voice that spoke next.

”Our dear sister, Sil’Eph Niir, the Dragon Goddess, calls to you from Dragon’s Cove. Daughter of the Sea, please, we beseech thee to aid her! Help protect this world from the Evil King!” Staggering slightly as Vernon returned to the ship, Carmen began to feel dizzy, but she needed to explain some things, and quickly. “The dragon won’t be held long… We need to get clear… To Dragon’s Cove…” Falling to her knees, Carmen panted for breath as Vernon knelt in front of her. “Sure. You okay Ruffles?”

“I’m… Not feeling so good… Also… What does beseech mean…?” Mumbling the last part, Carmen fell face first into Vernon’s arms, the captain cradling her for a moment before lifting her up, moving to head below deck to let her rest. “You heard her men! Chart a course for Dragon’s Cove and get us out of here! Putts, with the sail out, we’re relying on you!” A resounding ‘Aye Captain!’ was the response to Vernon, who could only grit his teeth once he was out of sight. He was still far too weak. He would have to become stronger.

(OOC: Skipping ahead to the date of arrival with Kumori's permission. If anyone objects, talk to him in the discord.)

Finally, the Dragon's Cove. The thing everyone had been searching for. It has been many days since they first left, but at last their long journey is over. But little did anyone know that it had only just begun.
As the hardy group of travelers arrived on land after so long, the first thing they would encounter would be a woman sitting on a large boulder, cleaning her sword. She wore black armor and had large, raven-like wings sprouting from her back. As the group approached, she looked up and smiled, sheathing her sword. She jumped off the boulder and landed softly on the ground, using her wings to slow her descent.
The woman pulled out a large piece of parchment. Written on it in dried ink was this message:
"Hello. My name is Aznyxphia. I have been waiting for all of you here on behest of the gods. As decreed by our Lord and Creator, I hereby announce myself as leader of this band of hardy adventurers. I cannot speak, so if one of you knows sign language it would be handy. In any case, you shall follow me to our grand destiny."
After they all got a good look, this Aznyxphia woman rolled up the parchment and then stood waiting for a response, smiling faintly.

The islands came into view on the horizon, and everyone's hearts were erratically beating in their chests. Elena's heart was in her throat while Pau'Ka rubbed her back and helped calm her with a softly hummed melody. Korose, meanwhile, was arriving as well on another boat just beside theirs.

As the boats touched down, they all disembarked and met for the first time as they all acknowledged they were there for the same reason: They heard the voice of the Gods.

"So you all heard the voice as well."

"Yes. Both of us."

"I see. Does she speak?"

"She does, but she knows very little of the modern tongue. She speaks in the ancient language of the High Elves."

"Understood."

As the trio walked forward, they beheld a woman with black wings who approached them and held up a parchment detailing that she was declaring herself the leader. Something about the Gods wanting it to be so. But given what they'd heard, they couldn't really dismiss the thought. They didn't know what she was told compared to themselves, so they agreed to go with it for the time being.

However, they were all noticing something rather... Ominous.

The Dragons who were present were all watching them like hawks. No blinking. No signs of even breathing. If they were, the breaths were so subtle and well controlled it didn't look like they were. They almost looked more like statues glaring down at them. But they weren't attacking which was... Interesting.

"Wonder why they're being so passive?"

"I sense concern in their hearts... They're scared."

"What did she say?"

"I don't know. She usually writes it down on parchment or signs."

Elena approached the black-winged woman and signed: Have they said anything to you?, motioning towards the Dragons.

Aranaea’s boat arrived to Dragon’s Cove, and the Fire Mage used her spell to jump off the ship and fly to the Beach and land, approaching the gathering group. Out of the corner of her left eye she saw another elf taking a rowboat off of another ship and arriving as with the rest of her gaze, spied several others. One of which was a dark haired elf that, to say in short, took her breath away by his appearance.

”He’s handsome, I’ll give him that.” Aranaea thought. She watched as the winged woman held out a parchment introducing herself. She raised an eyebrow at her apparent declaration. Whilst she may have also heard the voice of some of the Gods, it was apparent that somehow, she may have interpreted it with her own beliefs in mind.

That was when fate gave her the shock of her life.

”Leader? You? You take off and leave someone without a word of thanks for attempting to help you for some delusion? What kind of leader would be that rude to a person?” said the elf she saw before. Aranaea turned to face him.

”Don’t be rude to someone you just me-“ She shouted on Elvish before she stopped short. She stared at the Amulet around his neck and slowly reached for it.

”Paws off you crazy lady! That amulet’s the only thing I got left of my sister!” the elf declared, making her gasp even more so.

”I know. She gave it to you when you were seven years old. It was your birthday present from your big sister. A sister who was afraid she’d never see you again, Zaldir.” she said, switching back to common as she pulled back her hood, revealing her face, now showing that there were tears openly flowing. ”But I finally found you, after fifty long years I’ve found you.”

Zaldir’s eyes blinked once, twice before they widened. ”Aranaea? S-Sis? Is it really-agh!” he couldn’t say anything more, as the embracing hug surrounded and crushed him like a snake. Something they were both very afraid of. But soon, Zaldir returned the embrace.

”I have so many questions.” He said, voice cracking with emotion.

”All in good time, little brother. We have a much more pressing matter to tend to.” Aranaea replied, wiping her tears and looking up to eye the dragons currently watching them.

---

It had taken some convincing to have Vernon take her to Dragon’s Cove. After all, the crew had a close enough call in their first dragon encounter; not to mention their ship was in a state of disrepair thanks to that monster. Still, with enough pleading and the promise that they’d at least be able to moor and conduct repairs, Vernon relented. He didn’t exactly believe her nonsense about some ‘voices in her head calling for aid’ - after all, she was a bit of a ditz – but their personal lady luck had never lead them astray since her arrival. He’d have to trust that there was some reason she felt compelled to go there.

Docking near the beach as they dropped the anchor, Vernon looked with some trepidation at the number of other boats that had arrived. Dragon’s Cove wasn’t exactly a common trade route, so the fact that so many ships were here was an omen indeed. Assigning the crew to their repair tasks and promising to be quick, Vernon and Carmen dropped the rowboat and began to head for shore. Not that Vernon needed to do any rowing. Sliding gracefully off the back of the boat and holding onto the stern; there was a brief flash of pinkish red light before Carmen underwent her transformation. With her large tail, it was a simple matter for the mermaid to push the small ship to the beach, the girl changing back to her human form once she could get some traction in the sand.

After securing their ship into place, the duo slowly made their way over to the others – Vernon with folded arms and Carmen with hers eagerly in front of her. Seeing so many people, Vernon subconsciously felt the weight on his back, the bundle of weapons ready to be used at a moment’s notice in case things turned sour. Still, these individuals didn’t look particularly threatening, except perhaps that winged woman or the elf with the faint red eyes. No, the more pressing concern was the den of beasts behind the winged woman, the dragons eying them all with caution. If they decided to attack, things could get ugly, so Vernon, despite his nonchalant posture, remained ready. Not being particularly social, Vernon took place following just behind Carmen as the Mermaid hurried forward to introduce herself.

“Hey everybody! I’m Carmen and this is Vernon. I was having these weird dreams and things, but like, this proves I’m not crazy, right? Something’s going on here, yeah? Does anyone know what’s going on? Who’s in charge?” At those words, there was some ruffling as a parchment was flapped a couple of times in the wind. Looking over, Carmen made her way over to the somewhat intimidating looking woman holding the paper and took hold of it to have a read. The opportunity was short lived, as Vernon moved up and ruffled her hair, distracting the mermaid long enough for him to pilfer the parchment and give it a read.

Ignoring the already present squabbling between what appeared to be some reuniting siblings, Vernon gave his own ‘insightful’ comments to their supposed leader. “How do you even pronounce that? I almost suffocate just looking at it.” Grunting a bit as Carmen shoved him in the side with a look that said ‘don’t be rude’, Vernon sighed. “More importantly, I don’t believe or care about gods, lords or any of that crap. What I do care about is some young broad who can’t even give orders without a parchment trying to play Captain. You want me to follow you?” Vernon took a step back, cracking his knuckles. “Then make me submit.”

“Vernon! Stop being an ass! Geez!” Carmen huffed, tugging on Vernon’s arm and waving her hand in a calming gesture. “Ignore him. He’s uh… Special. Dropped on the head as a baby. Real Tragedy. We’re all coming to terms with it…” Trailing off mournfully, Carmen was clearly poking fun. Soon enough, Vernon shrugged free of Carmen, shaking his head and turning his back to the group. “Whatever. Once we find out what you’re here for and the ship is repaired, we’re setting sail.” Taking a few more steps away onto a rock, Vernon took some time to appraise the group, but all the while, his eyes continued to watch the dragons. Perhaps there would be some challenge here after all.

Still standing and grinning to herself happily, Carmen briefly glanced behind her to see a couple more newcomers. Seeing as the Elves were having a hugfest, and the other trio with the pink haired lass were already talking amongst themselves, maybe she’d go make friends with the latest arrivals? Skipping over towards the beach, Carmen went to make her intentions known. “Yo! I’m Carmen, what-“ Cutting herself off as the pretty lady ran off to… Return favour to the ocean. Not wanting to draw attention to her failed conversation starter, the mermaid kind of awkwardly stood between all the parties, only slowly making her way over once the woman returned.

“Take two! Yo ho ho, I’m Carmen. Do you guys hear voices in your head too?” Not paying attention to how bad that sounded out of context, Carmen continued, leaning in towards the female of the pair. “Also, you’re looking a bit pale. If the sea ails ya, I probably have some home remedies back on my ship. I’m like, second in command and the navigator, so I’m kind of a big deal.” Attempting to talk herself up, Carmen had her hands on her hips standing proudly. After all, she’d recently stopped a dragon attack. She was totally officially a big deal now. Hopefully they’d be impressed.

As Saewyn arrived at the cove she realized just how bad a bunch of fools she could've been trapped with. A hefty sigh left her lips, as did a well-needed sum of her mana, used toward the end of masking her presence to the others. A few steps forward and she already found herself evading one of the... people... on their way to the ocean. Oh good gracious. What HAVE I gotten myself into? , She asked herself as she studied the others. With a second of hesitation, Sae stopped and wondered if taking down her cloaking was a good idea, but it would have to be done if she was to truly decide if the fools around her were just that.

"You! All of you. Why are you here, if not for a summons." she said rather loudly, whilst moving from spot to spot hoping to remain hidden for the time being. Her cover now mostly blown by her own choosing, she stepped out from behind Dreux, dropping her use of mana to upkeep the illusion of being part of the surroundings.

Aznyxphia stood shocked as everybody started complaining to her. One angry fellow lashed out at her, saying she could not be leader with her traits. Two people were hugging, one was barfing, and pretty much everyone either ignored her or were angry with her for some reason.
Personally, Az did not understand all this. She had a decree from the Great Goddess; how could these people dare defy the orders of a god? Such blasphemy!
As the others squabbled, Aznyxphia wrote down yet another decree, and when she was done, she began stomping her foot to get everyone's attention. Once she did, she held up the scroll once again, the peppy smile gone from her face and replaced with a stern frown.
"To the young brown-haired woman, no, those are simply statues. No fell magic can cause any creature to be so stalwart and still. It is probably either an illusion, or perhaps an enchantment to create golems we must fight to gain entrance. A test from the gods, I assure you, to weigh our belief in their strife. I thank you for taking concern in your new leader's well-being, however. And I can hear what people say, so do not feel the need to sign at me. However, it would be useful if you could serve as my translator so I don't have to keep writing these big posters.
"You, merchant. I apologize for my sudden urgency to leave our matters behind, but the call of a goddess cannot be ignored. I was sent a calling by her, as all of you were, that we must save her from the vile sorcerer who calls himself The Evil King. All earthly matters are behind us now in the eyes of the gods, and I hope you may put our grievances behind you as I lead us on to divine glory. Also, I congratulate you on being reunited with your family member. May your platonic love for one another never falter.
"You there, one who calls himself Vernon." As he read this part, Az glowered at him with all of the holier-than-thouness she could muster. "How dare you blasphemy the gods who have sent you on this grand mission. If not for them, you would be a measly, unimportant sea urchin squalling around the world with no purpose in life. Fortunately, the Great Goddess, my queen and fearless leader, is ever-forgiving, and forgives this grand insult you have placed upon her daughter. I am not as forgiving. But, as the Goddess wills, I relent. But I will bear your harmful words in mind, and I promise you - there shall be retribution. I will lead all of you to victory, whether you like it or not. As the gods command."
After that, she rolled up the parchment and began walking off towards the entrance to the cove, not looking back to see if any of them were following her or not. At this point, even in spite of her goddess' decree, she had no interest in travelling with such dull, spiteful folk. They were the ones who you could make a mistake with once and would never let it up to you, always carrying that grudge. Especially that pirate lad, Vernon. She did not like him. Not at all.

The unlikely duo silently watched as the others bickered and talked, mainly arguing with the woman with the wings. But suddenly a voice spoke up, and out stepped a woman behind Dreux, who only almost jumped out of his skin when he saw her suddenly appear, clearly she was the voice that asked why they were all here. Despite her surprisingly tall stature, her voice and face looked much younger and softer than he would have expected. But something then happened that got their attention, a rumble that caused the dragons to move out of the way and let them continue with their meeting with who called them there in the first place.

Slowly they made their way down the path, and down the middle of grass-covered valleys and mountains. And eventually to the heart and center of Dragon Cove. In the center was something far too large to be real, or what they thought to be real. It was at least two miles long in length, red and golden colored what seemed to scales, and if they paid attention to it, seemed to be...breathing? Yes, it was breathing...Wait a minute. Neden and Dreux stopped in their places as they realized what they were actually looking at, it was...a Dragon. A massive dragon, one the size of a large mountain, and it slowly began to awaken, as it lifted its head. Three smaller dragons were now awake as well and looking at them, which caused Neden and Dreux to keep their hands close by their sides, next to their weapons in case they wished to turn against them or start strife, which they honestly did not want.

But as they continued to look on, the dragon looked at them with a surprisingly calm look and spoke, not with a physical voice, but the same voice they had all heard earlier, the one that called them here. Dreux' eyes opened when he made the connection, this was who called them, the very dragon goddess herself. She called them, and that meant, the one that Neden called upon at the ship the day the dragon attacked, this was who answered her cry for help. Dreux looked upon the dragon as she spoke and gave her a bow, in pure awestruck surprise and amazement, as he was now face to face with a Goddess.

Neden, on the other hand was silent as well, in awestruck and amazement as she looked at the dragon that was before them. She was something Neden had never seen before, and her eyes slowly began to swell up with tears. Not from sadness as someone else would think, but due to the fact that this meant she was right. All of her questionings, wondering if there really was anything out there other than just her and the village. That her constant asking would indeed be answered, and now, if not later would slowly begin to be answered. And something about this dragon felt, familiar to her, as if she somehow knew this beast that lay before her.

Neden slowly walked past Dreux as she felt the strength in her legs again and walked up to the front of the group and looked on at the dragon, her eyes slowly trailing over every part of this creature, everything she ever hoped and dreamed of was now before her very eyes, and she couldn't help but form a small smile on her face as she looked on as the dragon spoke, and gave a silent nod, smiling all the while.

The reunion of the Kestal siblings was brief, however as they agreed to follow the succubus for the time being to get to the answers they were indeed looking for. The moment the dragons moved however, it put the younger Kestal on the alert as he recalled the Dragon he scarred in the Port town. He feared one day he’d run into that beast again.

But so it was, the group began to make their way into the cove as Zaldir and Aranaea walked side by side, taking in the sights and sounds of the Cove. ”So, Uhm... is there anyone else from our family still living? Or am I getting my hopes up?” the young brown haired elf asked as he walked. He glanced briefly towards the more silent elf, and felt a small bit of himself feel at awe. She was elven but she seemed more radiant and beautiful then other elves. Could she be a High Elf? He wasn’t too sure.

”Father died fighting the greenskins. Mother is with Grandmother’s Clan. She’s been... unwell since fifty years ago. You may not remember Zaldir, or maybe you do, but the Scattering was too terrible, even for a simple Orc Raid.” Aranaea replied. She Said nothing more and the sharp spring in her step caused her brother to think that now probably wasn’t a truly good time to converse about what happened that day.

As the siblings walked on with the group they began to realize how mana rich the environment was, before noticing at last the various sections of a scaled serpentine body.

“Could it be...?” Zaldir said aloud as Aranaea was slowly looking astonished as now the group came into view of the massive dragon. Before either sibling could reply they heard the voice in their heads again, now realizing at last they were meeting the Dragon Goddess who summoned them here.

“Sil’Eph Niir.” Aranaea uttered with a look of shock and wonder to her eyes. Zaldir’s eyes became wide as tears began to well up in them. For a long time, he thought he’d never be assured the Gods cared. But today, with the reunion of his sister and now coming face to face with the Dragon Goddess. He had now come to a conclusion.

“They do care.” He whispered to himself in Elvish. He silently let the tears flow. A part of him now felt regretful of how cynical he had become in his life.

As Aznyxphia approached the statues, they immediately leapt down to confront her, making predatory hissing noises. I guess that young woman was right about them being statues, the knight thought to herself, drawing her azure steel longsword. Very well; a battle it shall be.
But she never got the chance to do any combat. The dragons cocked their heads, as if they could hear a sound she could not. Then, they stepped to the side, resting docilely. As the others walked past, the dragons did nothing but stare and blink slowly. Aznyxphia sheathed her sword rather hesitantly, fearing a trap, but as nothing happened, she willed herself to move back to the head of the group. She was their leader, after all, and leaders must appear strong (especially with such mutinous folk like Vernon among her group).
As they entered the fertile valley, everyone felt the rush of strong winds over their head, and anyone looking up would see Aznyxphia swoop by on her ebony wings, leading them onwards in the air - at least, in her mind. The air blowing by her usually felt good, but today it was... different. The air felt almost... heavier. Thicker. Sweeter. As if it were drugged. As she traveled farther, the sensation became greater. She did not like it. Not one bit. I knew this was a trap, she thought. If anything happens, I must protect my vassals - even if it means my death. Just in case the drugged air got too much for her, she touched back down to the ground and continued walking from there.
As she travelled forwards to almost certain doom, Aznyxphia uttered a prayer to the Gods of Light, the creators and protectors of the humanoids of the world - gods who, ironically, did not actually exist, though not to Az's knowledge, of course. Great Goddess of Light and all the lower gods of Light, here my prayer. I cannot remove thy cup from mine lips, so I shall uphold your duty to the best of my honor. Mark my words, this day the Evil King and his vile dragons shall fall, and the world shall be safe again. If I may die, I pray I shall be forever rewarded in the shining Halls of Valour. Amen.
Finally, the group reached the source of what they had been looking for. What first appeared to be a rounded red wall reared its ugly head and stared the intrepid adventurers down. Soon, everyone began to fall to their knees from the aura of unholiness the loathsome creature generated. At once, Aznyxphia knew this was the Evil King, the Plague Upon the Land, the King of the Dragons. The monster the Great Goddess had sent them to slay. Their doom, and their salvation.
Even as she realized this, the dragon spoke lies of power: words to coax her chosen warriors into betraying their goddess and join his side. One of her subjects, a young, pretty blonde-haired lass who had apparently lost all rational thought, began approaching the Evil King on weakened legs, tears streaking down her eyes.
With the sweep of a dark gauntlet, Aznyxphia pushed the girl back, out of harm's way. There was both fury and fear in her eyes, and everyone could tell what she meant: "GET BACK!!!"
Then, the Pariah Knight turned back to her sworn enemy, swiftly drawing her sword again and spreading out her wings to form a shadowy wall that would protect her chosen from the evil sorcery the dragon could work.
EVIL KING! Aznyxphia snarled mentally, using the two-way telepathic communique the fell monster had set up with them. BY THE ORDER OF THE GREAT GODDESS OF LIGHT, YOUR TYRANNY SHALL BE VANQUISHED. THIS DAY, YOUR PLAGUE UPON THE WORLD SHALL BE ENDED! THIS WORLD SHALL SURVIVE!!!

Pau'Ka shook her hand and smiled warmly for her.

"It's not a problem at all, Neden. Social anxieties born of isolation are common among all races. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

She let go of Neden's hand and gently placed her index finger against her chin.

"So what would you like to know? I'll answer as best I can."

---

Meanwhile, Korose had wandered closer to the Goddess as well to speak to her mentally.

You can hear my thoughts, correct?

Yes.

What's going on? Why are we here?

Sil'Eph Niir let her answer carry to the entire group so that all may hear, including Az as she flew away even if this was a bit of a recap of what she'd heard before.

The Evil King seeks to break the seal we placed on him long ago and escape to your world. His servants now siphon magical energies from around the globe in an effort to see this dark design fulfilled. If they succeed, he will grow stronger and likely attempt to overtake the Higher Plane just as he tried to do eons ago. You are all here because you hold ancient bloodlines blessed by the Gods. Once you awaken the power of your bloodline, you'll be strong enough to take the fight to his servants and prevent his escape from the Nether Realm. Seek out the Diviner on the tallest peak in the world in the frozen North, and he will help you awaken your long-dormant power.

And the dragons?

As their life force is siphoned to fuel the rebirth of my Son, Maglissos, under His wicked control, their forms become tainted and twisted into the beasts you fought previously. But they can be saved. If you combine your awakened powers, you can help sever the connection which siphons their life force and return them to normal. When they come back to themselves, they will aid you however they can. You have my word as their Mother and Goddess.

Korose nodded, looking back to the others and now speaking out loud.

"If anyone has any last questions for the Goddess, now's the time to ask. If not, we should leave at once for the frozen North. The sooner we awaken our bloodline's powers, the better. The Goddess may be on our side, but time most certainly isn't." He called out.

Elena took a few steps towards Sil'Eph Niir, clasping her hands and dropping to her knees as she bowed her head in respect.

Great Goddess Sil'Eph Niir. Will you not join us in this endeavor?

I sincerely wish I could, dear Child of the Forest. But until my body has recovered from both my battle with the Evil King and my labor of creating the Dragon Race eons ago, I am unable to fully awaken from this state. Even now, despite this mental communication, my physical body slumbers and is useless to you.

Elena opened her eyes and nodded quietly.

We will rescue your children, great Goddess. I promise. We'll save them all.

Elena suddenly received a mental vision of Sil'Eph Niir's beautiful human form smiling at her.

Thank you, dear Child of the Forest. You've no idea the joy it brings me to hear such kind words.

Elena bowed and turned around, ready to proceed with their mission to seek out the Diviner in the frozen North whenever the others were ready to join them.

Neden listened silently as Pau'Ka reassured her that there was nothing to be ashamed about, which caused a small smile to appear on her face. She tried to think of what to ask about first, but there were so many different questions. But some she knew Pau'Ka wouldn't know the answer to, such as who she was and who her family was, since even the very Goddess of who she is a great decendant of doesn't even know. She continued to think silently, her right hand resting on her chin as she was lost deep in thought, biting her bottom lip as she tried to concentrate on what to ask. But suddenly that same voice was heard in her head again, the voice of Sil'Eph Niir, and clearly it was everyone that heard it as they all looked at her and nodded when she was done speaking.

She understood the importance of time, especially knowing that Sil'Eph Niir would need time to heal, and she nodded. Turning back to Pau'Ka she motioned for her to stay for a moment, and ran back up to the mighty being that was laying still on the cove's floor. "I promise...We will help your children and you. For you and your children, fall and none...as well as for my clan's honor, and maybe finding out who I am. Thank you, Sil'Eph Niiir. We won't let you done. Just rest." she said softly, gently and nervously placing her hand against Sil'Eph Niir's red scales, feeling them under her palm for a moment as she gave a silent prayer of healing and safety towards the Goddess, and turned back around to rejoin with the group.

As she neared Pau'Ka she spoke as she motioned her to join as they were slowly heading back to the boats, "We can talk about this as we head back to the boats if you like. But like she said, time is important, and I don't want to waste more of her precious time. But trust me, I have...a lot of questions.." she said as she gave the woman a small smile and nod, as well as a bow and began walking towards the boats, not sure if Pau'Ka would follow her or not.

Aranaea paled at the message given. ”The North...? I don’t even have enough money for winter clothes!” She shouted in dismay as Zaldir looked at her with an incredulous look.

”I’ll see what I can scrounge up from my business coffers... I’m probably going to have to sell stuff in the next town the ships stop in before we head out.” He said to his sister in Elvish. He gave a small glance towards the High Elf woman and noted that indeed, she was pretty. He could almost see her as being a Noblewoman if he had the chance to.

In the meanwhile Aranaea began to walk with some of the others, until she paused right near a foot of the dark haired elf. She could feel it if only barely. He was radiating heat off him like no tomorrow! Was he a fellow Fire Mage? Only way to find out was to ask him! Moving to walk side by side with him, she decided it was best to get to know at least one of her new group members.

”Hello there. I’m Aranaea Kestal of the Elven Clan of Kestal. Might I have your name?” she asked, bowing her head with the secret intent of scanning the handsome elf’s features. He seemed intriguing, worthy of her attention on her part.

”Steady Naea, You need to play hard to get if there’s a chance.” She scolded herself. But she could tell that he had an air of mystery about him. She wanted to learn more of this Mystery.

---

Having stepped up to the seasick lady (Though simultaneously keeping a ‘safe’ distance in case of projectile vomit), Carmen’s attention was diverted as the man named Dreux introduced himself. He was pretty formal, what with the whole ‘Miss’ Schtick. The only person who called her ‘Miss’ was her mother, and even then, that was ‘Little Miss’ and when she was in trouble. Regardless, he also introduced Neden, and the idea of ‘the call’ which was apparently the term for the voices in her head. Of course she knew that, but it was nice to know they knew what it was called too. Yup, she was clued in.

“Just Carmen will do, Droo~. We’re all friends and Callies, right?” Immediately trying to use her newly appropriated term to name the group, Carmen remained chipper that her introduction was going well. "H-hello, C-Carmen. As Dreux here said, we too heard the voice I suppose? A-as for the medicine....I-it would be appreciated. I'm not...not very fond of wanter, nor the sea." Neden spoke up, but clearly she was still under the weather, the poor thing so sick she was stuttering and her voice was changing in pitch. Still, Carmen couldn’t suppress her slight frown that Neden disliked to ocean of all things! She could understand not liking being seasick, but the sea was great! In fact, she’d just have to inform her how wonderful the ocean depths could be-

As Carmen was about to comment, Dreux stepped in once more, clarifying Neden’s upbringing and bringing some much needed context. Oohhhhhh. She didn’t know how to swim! That explained it! Gosh, how weird. Who didn’t know how to swim? She must have really been from the boonies if they didn’t have a lake or anything to dip in. Well, that wouldn’t do at all! Carmen would have to teach her at some point, if they all continued to hang out. But for now, medicine did seem to be the order of the day. Making a gesture where she clapped her flexed bicep, Carmen gave the two a wink and a grin. “You can count on me. I’ll get it right now. Aaaannnddd you two can pay me back with an undisclosed favour.” Smirking, Carmen went to run past them and quickly scoot back to the ship, but was suddenly startled by the appearance of another shouting and appearing out of thin air!

“Ack!” Flailing her arms about to maintain her balance and not collide with the unexpected figure, Carmen gave a faint sigh as she managed to catch her thumping heart. “Geez… Don’t do that! I thought you were a sea witch coming to drag me to the depths for my hubris…” Mumbling out the last part as she recalled a few childhood fairy tales, Carmen quickly stepped around the mystery figure, but decided to answer her question. “And we ARE here as part of a summons. We’re all Callies, though I don’t really know what we were called for…” Musing on this fact, Carmen was going to slip away when some loud but also not that loud stomping from the Succubus called for attention. Impressive she could do that on sand, and also that it did work in drawing everyone’s attention to her.

Being somewhat nearby, Vernon sighed as she aggressively flailed the paper around to try and get both his and everyone else’s attention. He didn’t really intend to read it, but seeing as they were all ‘playing nice’ for the moment, it wouldn’t hurt to accommodate the delusional demoness. How quaint. She was addressing him personally. In his peripheral, Vernon could feel the seething hatred in her eyes, which only served to widen his smirk as he read, stroking his chin. Well now, she certainly was a radical thinker. Vernon hated the overly religious and preachy types, and it seemed that she was one of those. An ignorant one too, especially if she thought those dragons were just for show. Definitely more warning flags that following her as a subordinate would be a foolish idea.

As she stormed off to try and lead the way, Vernon thought about commenting again, but felt a sharp elbow in his side, Carmen having returned up next to him while he’d been reading. Looking to her dryly, he got the message, and simply sighed again, folding his arms in front of himself once more. Probably for the best he didn’t comment. Those fanatical ones never did listen to logic or reason; and her inflated sense of pride in herself seemed to be rivalled only by her naivety. Maybe she’d learn her lesson before meeting an untimely end, but that overconfidence combined with a stupidity to rival Ruffles didn’t give her good odds.

The rest of the group seemed to be in agreement that now was the time to move, but as the dragon moved to cut off Aznyxphia, Vernon immediately tensed, shoving his collection of weapons into Carmen’s hands. “Be ready.” He stated, the mermaid giving a quick nod in response. Vernon was eager to test his mettle against another dragon, but with a horde like this, even he had to concede that it was a suicidal prospect. That said, it would be interesting to see how their ‘Oh so mighty Leader’ handled herself in combat. Extending his hand to claim his first weapon from Carmen, he was surprised to find nothing there, turning to look at the smiling face of his first mate. “It’ll be okay. Wait for it.” Carmen grinned playfully, and although Vernon didn’t know what she was expecting, he trusted her. Moments later, a rumbling filled the earth, and the dragons around them returned to their rest.

"Looks like they're letting us pass after all." The cloaked elven figure spoke, before moving up to lead with Aznyxphia. It seemed that something or someone was allowing them to continue. Reaching over to Carmen, Vernon returned his bundle of weapons to his back and began making his way forward. He hadn’t heard this voice or anything, but the situation had peeked his interest. Evil Kings, dragons, and now a being powerful enough to command them? He could feel his blood boiling. What would it be like to challenge something that powerful? Making his way down the tunnel with others, Vernon made a point of grabbing the back of Carmen’s hair to tug her away from the dragons she was thanking. Little idiot was going to get herself eaten if she wasn’t careful…

---

Emerging through the cave and travelling across the grasslands, when the group finally came across the goddess herself, Vernon was left in stunned silence, while Carmen faintly gasped as she looked upon the majesty of her enormous form. As the voice, louder than ever rang through Carmen’s mind, she could only faintly nod. Vernon however, clutched his head, hearing her words for the first time. It echoed through him, and faintly, he could feel his body trembling. Was it… Fear? He’d never felt afraid since that day… And yet… Clenching his fist, Vernon steadied himself. She was insurmountable to him, a presence beyond the scope of his world. He needed to become so much stronger. If this truly was the goddess Sil’Eph Niir… Then part of his life he had been living a lie. He was mortal. Human. There was no way he could challenge a being of this power… And yet… he would strive to.

As Aznyxphia continued to prove her inexperience and inadequacy as leader, Vernon watched her stagger and stop, as if frozen in time. Clearly, the goddess had stepped in to stop her assault somehow. It took some time, but then, she was off, flying out of the cove, faintly gesturing for them to follow, but he wasn’t sure how she expected most of them to notice that – They were all a bit focussed on the being in front of them. A leader’s job was to lead, certainly; but it seemed she hadn’t learned how to communicate with her crew and read the room. Watching as everyone in the room took turns to speak to the goddess, clearly receiving answers in their mind, Vernon wondered what he had to say, if anything. As the group heard her explanation, more thoughts crossed his mind, and when prompted by that shadowy elf fellow, he still felt unprepared. Thankfully, he was given more time to think as his first mate Carmen stepped up, and, possibly braver than anyone else in the group, placed a hand against the goddess’s form.

“Whoah… You’re real…” Carmen spoke, gently prodding the scales before shutting her eyes. “You’re… I read about you, but I never thought…” Carmen stumbled over her words a bit as she thought back to her studies at home, the family and life she’d left. Moving up closer and resting her head against the dragon, she began to whisper, hoping the dragon could hear in her mind, but that none of the others in the group would see her weakness. “I heard your call… So I came but… Why me? I’m…” Pausing before she said the words, Carmen didn’t like saying such things, but in front of a goddess, her usual bravado and forced confidence felt as frail as glass. “…I’m a failure. I ran from home… I help pirates raid and pillage to feel needed and important, I steal with them selfishly, and make excuses that it’s just the world we live in… But… When it comes down to it, there has to be so many more qualified than me! You’re a goddess, and you need heroes! Not some castaway mermaid who couldn’t learn more than the basics of divination magic… Surely someone like my Mother or siblings would have been a better choice to call here... I’m not the only one with the blood of the ancestors…”

Watching Carmen speak to the goddess, Vernon finally had his own thoughts come to mind, raising his arm and pointing a fist directly at the Goddess’s eye. “I didn’t hear your call, nor do I have an ancient bloodline. I don’t even care for your plight. All I seek is strength, and worthy opponents. If this Evil King is as powerful as you say, then I see no reason not to fight. You should feel fortunate our goals align.” Grinning, Vernon pulled his hand back in. “One day, I’ll surpass even the gods themselves. When that time comes, I’ll challenge even you, Sil’Eph Niir.” Pivoting on the spot, Vernon had stated what he intended, making his way to leave. Turning to look over his shoulder, he spoke to the others. “The Delmoray is the fastest ship on the sea, and you won’t find a better crew. The Silverstar Pirates we’ll see to it we reach our destination. I’ll see to it that we’re prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.” Striding away, Vernon would leave the group to their discussions with the dragon goddess. None of that concerned him.

Following Carmen's statement that she was a failure and providing details of her past, the Goddess of Dragons slowly lowered her towering mass of a head to look straight at Carmen, turning her head sideways so one house-sized golden glowing eyeball was resting right ahead of her.

"Dear Child of the Seas, take more heart in yourself and what you can do. One's worth is not measured by the deeds of days gone by or memories which haunt you."

She pulled her head back and up into the sky, peeing down at the group which remained.

"Your worth lies far beyond such trivial matters." She said softly.

"So go now, dear Child of the Seas. Forge your path forward with confidence and grace. And pray, take care of yourself and your friends. In this cruel world where nothing is certain, our bonds become our greatest weapon and our pillar of support."

And then... It was Vernon's turn.

"Child of man, your determination is admirable. However, I pray in due time you'll come to understand that true strength is not recognized by whom you can defeat, or how. It comes from somewhere much deeper and more personal... So go now. And pray, protect yourself well. The Darkness which lies ahead cannot be slain by mortal weaponry alone. You'll need something more."

---

Listening to Sil’eph Niir, Carmen was unblinking as the huge eye stared at her; not scared, but still, frozen to the spot. As the voice filled her mind once more, it told her to have faith and believe in what she could do, along with the others around her. Carmen wanted to with all her might but… Taking a step back to bow at Sil’Eph Niir, Carmen didn’t voice her fears, but her mind was racing a mile a minute. She just had to believe in herself, like the goddess said… But she could be such a screw up! There was no way this would work, there had to be a mistake, the goddess… Carmen swallowed nervously. Was she really trying to challenge the word of a goddess? Sil believed in her… Needed her to succeed, just like the others. Even if Carmen couldn’t see it… Clearly, there was something she could do. The goddess believed in her. So she’d have to believe in herself too.

“I’ll do it. I can’t say whether or not I succeed, but I’ll believe that I can, just like you believe in me! No matter what comes, I’ll give it my best, and try to protect everyone!” Carmen raised her head, bringing back her upbeat confidence in full swing as she brought her hand to her head, cocking her hat with a grin. “After all, I’m the maiden of fortune herself, Carmen Rufferones!” Spinning around to make a ‘cool’ pose to the others, she skipped over. She had to remain positive, no matter how scared she was. Sil’Eph was right. Bonds could be strength, and support was indispensable. She’d be that pillar for all of them if needed. “So, you think they’ll name a constellation after me when we save the world?” Carmen asked to no-one in particular as she re-joined them.

For Vernon, even before the goddess had begun speaking, he’d found his resolve. He had his own strength, and he wasn’t about to abandon it for a new philosophy. In his mind, he conveyed one simple response to her words. “If no mortal blade will work, I’ll simply have to find a blade greater than the heavens themselves. That’s all there is to it.” It was true, he was mortal, and perhaps unfit to take on the demons ahead of them. That didn’t change anything for him. He’d simply have to surpass the gods. Even if it meant he was no longer human. And if he couldn’t become powerful enough to fight them, he’d find a weapon that could. Grinning, Vernon made his way out to the ship to explain to his crew. His passion had been reignited. He was looking forward to the trials ahead.