Post #2769784 in Divinity Unbound, a roleplay on RPG

White water rose in undulating walls around the boat before crashing into the calmer rippling waves which carved a 'V' shape behind them. The tranquil blue waves of the ocean rose and fell with the tides and currents, gently rocking the passengers aboard as they leaned over the edge watching the horizon.

Pau'Ka, a Draconian. And Elena, a High Elf.

An odd pairing, to be sure. But a pairing nonetheless. In the two days they'd been at sea they'd formed a silent, but powerful bond as two women sensing the same Divine voice and searching for answers to questions yet answered. Though one didn't speak the common tongue beyond a few select words, they communicated with their eyes, facial expressions, and and gestures. And they had a great time doing it. Constantly they could be seen laughing and playing on deck. Sometimes the crew would just sit and watch while the boat's owner and driver steered them on with silent dread in his heart.

It would take another week or so on the waves before they arrived at the Cove. In the meantime they occasionally stopped to fish and partake of the ocean's bounty in an effort to conserve food for the journey. Stored food on ships usually kept well, but the changing temperatures and rapidly shifting weather wreaked havoc on their preservatives.

On this day, the ocean was calm and the skies clear. But that silent, ominous wind still tainted the world around them. The very air was thickened by its foul weight, bearing down on their shoulders like gripping and slithering hands caressing places which didn't wish to be touched. Both women felt violated just being held within its grip, though for Elena it was much, much worse.

Hours passed as the boat was drawn to a fishing stop. Even taking once-a-day fishing rests for about two hours would not delay their arrival time, so they saw no reason to push themselves. As the men partook in fishing, the women lounged on deck soaking in the sun's rays and joyously playing games to pass the time. Pau'Ka was, in particular, an excellent player of "Fisherman's Bluff," a board game where you rolled a single six-sided die and hid the result from your opponent. The goal was to bluff your way to a total cumulative score of 40, a number considered lucky in the sea-faring cultures of the world. If your bluff was called once, your score reset to its previous value. If your bluff was called two turns in a row, your score reset to 0.

Elena, by contrast, was terrible at the game and often found herself with a score of 0 by the end. She was just too honest in her face and body language for her own good and easy to read. Meanwhile Pau'Ka even took to betting the crewmen for meals, as she had quite the ravenous appetite for a woman of such a fine, slender, athletic figure.

... And then, the winds changed.

It was in the middle of a game of Fisherman's Bluff as Pau'Ka was about to throw her die when her hand caught on the wind and the die fell from a semi-open palm to the table below and rolled onto the deck. She and Elena both stood up and gazed out at the horizon as they felt a tremendous, evil pressure building and beginning to rapidly approach their position. The two women held hands as the crew looked on in bewilderment, none of them having magical potential to sense the threat. But the boat owner did, and he concentrated his magic, as did Pau'Ka, for what lay ahead.

But what they saw quickly sapped any and all sense of "fight" from their bodies. A dark, undulating cloud appeared on the horizon. It moved consistently and with grace, like a bird in flight... And as it drew closer it became clear that this was no cloud. It was a black, winged creature large enough to make their eyes believe they were seeing a cloud until it broke through the haze of the horizon line.

"Dragon!!!" Cried the captain.

The men all dove for cover below deck as the captain and Pau'Ka prepared their best magic for combat, Pau'Ka warming up her voice for her most powerful Seid song. Elena was whisked below deck with the crew, but watched from the door in silent prayer that her friend and the captain would be okay.

The Dragon rapidly approached and slammed its wings at the boat causing the seas to churn and twist beneath rocking it violently too and fro beneath a rapidly darkening sky. It was almost as if the Dragon's presence alone drew in the power to block out the sun. Pau'Ka's breath hitched in her throat as she tried to begin singing. Her body trembled in primal fear as the Dragon unleashed a mighty, ear-splitting roar to the heaven's forcing all on board to cover their ears. As the roar came to an end the Dragon up and over the boat looking down at its terrified prey before beginning a dive.

The boat master quickly threw a massive pointed wave over and across the deck blocking the Dragon's path which broke its dive as it veered off to circle around and try again. The boat master continued to use his magical skills to deflect its path away from the boat, but he wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. Eventually the Dragon would push through once it realized these were smaller and less powerful spells meant only to visually distract it.

Meanwhile, Pau'Ka closed her eyes and chanted an ancient incantation passed down through the Ancient's Tradition in the Seid Magic community she grew up in. Harnessing all of her power, Pau'Ka shifted from a chant to a song, and as she sang the sea trembled, the ocean's surface vibrated and the boat along with it, and the Dragon began roaring in pain thrashing its head left and right to the rhythm of Pau'Ka's song.

Divines bless my Soul, for I am unto thee your humble servant!
Banish thine enemy within my sight, my body thy loyal Sword!
Unto thine blessed hand, my blade shall pierce the night!
And through my hallowed vessel, thine might shall slay the Beast!

...

In response to Pau'Ka's song, far in the distance, a single glowing golden eyes opened. And from a gaping maw large as a mountain emerged a powerful roar, the force of which streaked through the skies fueled by Divine Magical energies in the direction of the battle.

Back on the boat the Dragon floated ominously as the boat master began to tire from the use of his spells. And Pau'Ka, still in song, but now having little effect as the Dragon had acclimated to her assault and now merely absorbed the incoming mana before deflecting it harmlessly away in an invisible diffusion of magic. However, as the Dragon began to calmly descend like a wolf upon its prey, the Dragon's head suddenly snapped upwards and turned around before its body was struck with the oncoming rush of Divine Magical energy. Its body thrashed and convulsed in the air as the energies raced toward and slammed into Pau'Ka's body.

Her eyes went white as her mouth opened and she unleashed a shriek like none she'd ever let loose before. Her body crackled and glowed with white-yellow light, and within seconds her shriek came to an end as the magical energies settled within her body and her now glowing pink-red eyes snapped open laced with ferocity. Pau'Ka's arms flew to the sides, palms open facing the Dragon, and she began her song anew as the Dragon continued convulsing and thrashing about before falling into the waters below.

As Pau'Ka's song came to an end, she dropped to her knees and fell unconscious on the deck of the boat, her eyes rolled into the backs of the sockets and her mouth hanging agape with a trickle of saliva dripping from her mouth. Elena rushed to her friend's side immediately shouting in High Elvish and shaking her body in an attempt to wake her. The Dragon, shockingly, was still alive and burst from the water before flying off to the far West back the direction they'd come. Thank the Gods it didn't continue its assault, or they'd all have been dead right then and there.

However, Pau'Ka's condition did not improve. An hour passed, and she was still the same. Elena grew frantic, fighting desperately to wake her friend and see her pink-red eyes once more the way they were meant to be seen. But it was no use. Pau'Ka would not wake.

In sheer panic and sadness, Elena gripped the sides of her head as a wave of helplessness overcame her. Shaking like a leaf in a hurricane, her body suddenly began glowing with golden light, and the energies formed a small, thin line to the center of Pau'Ka's back. Elena was oblivious to the change as her eyes, shut tight, leaked tears of sorrow and internal torment. Pau'Ka's body began to glow in response to the energies being sent to it, and Elena's eyes finally snapped open as she looked at Pau'Ka and felt the magic within taking hold.

... It was warm... It was oh, so very warm. And as she instinctively laid her hands upon Pau'Ka's back, the light grew brighter and Pau'Ka's eyes slowly rolled back to where they belonged as her eyelids slid shut. Her breathing returned to normal, and her mouth closed softly. The light faded, and Elena knelt down checking on Pau'Ka's heart to find a steady and strong beat beneath her palm. With tears now of joy leaking from her eyes, she laid down on top of Pau'Ka's torso embracing her in a hug. Sitting upright, she set Pau'Ka's head in her lap and stroked her hair until the sleeping blonde awoke a few minutes later.

Sitting upright slowly and shaking her head, Pau'Ka asked what had happened. Everyone, the crew, captain, and even Elena, all did their best to relay what they saw and experienced. Pau'Ka's memory of the event flooded back into her mind as the recollection of that impact of energy suddenly became clear.

"I heard Her... The Goddess." She whispered.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock.

"When the magic flooded into my body, I heard her voice. She said, 'Receive my Power, my Child, and protect yourself!'"

Everyone was stunned that the Goddess had spoken to Pau'Ka once again. Not only once before in plea to save "Her Children," but now again to protect herself from a dark and obviously corrupted Dragon. Just who was this Goddess, truly? Who was Pau'Ka to receive a second hearing of Her Holy voice?

At Pau'Ka's command, the captain resumed the journey. The path to the Goddess would not likely end with only one such attack. They were likely to face more. But if not more Dragons... Surely more servants of Darkness.

Snippet #2769784

located in Universe, a part of Divinity Unbound, one of the many universes on RPG.

Setting

Characters Present

Footnotes