Private Tales A Study of the World

[Arius Flint]

”You know, if this ship was built enough this trick would never wo-“ Before he could finish his sentence Beckett turned and suddenly grabbed his shirt. Eyes bulged out as she dragged him and the cask out of the orcs reach.

”That’s not very poli-“ The complaint was suddenly cut off as the Orc’s massive meaty paws swiped over his head. ”Oh crud!”

He swore, his head ducking as the cask slipped from his head and crashed against the wooden deck. Wood splintered, and liquor poured over the inner deck. The Orc roared, and tried to once again smash his hands down onto Arius who simply shoved into Becket and half pushed her, sending both of them falling to the ground.

They crashed into the side, Arius accidentally kicking one of the small lanterns hanging there.

It dashed to the side, and then cast it’s flame onto the liquor soaked wood. In an instant the fumes within the air caught flame, and fire burst to life in the small hallway. Quickly caching and rushing up the wall. ”Oh SHIT!”

Arius added helpfully, half sprawled on top of Becket.

 

[Beckett]

As Arius crashed into her, the barrel fell from her arms and tipped, wobbled, and crashed toward the orc and already growing fire. Flames began licking up the sides of the barrel and it would only be a matter of seconds before it too, caught.

That would, logically, probably be the most pressing thing. If it wasn't for the alchemist's right hand that was currently pressing over the soft curve of one of her breasts. His left hand precariously close to her other one. And his mop of curly hair tickling her face and nose.

Beckett sputtered.

Took a sniff.

Was that...cedar? What kind of conditioner did he use?

The fae blinked quickly. "Come on professor," she was quite proud of herself at the nickname even though she knew he was an alchemist. it still felt...right. She'd pluck that hand of his away from her chest and rock her hips slightly encouraging him to get to his feet. The way out was blocked by flames. She could only hope there was another hatch somewhere in the hold.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius fumbled slightly as he drew himself back up to his feet, seemingly entirely oblivious of his gropings. "Oh I'm not a professor."

He contended, not having chosen to take a position at Althhaven after he'd graduated. As he pulled himself up Arius caught himself glancing back at the flames with, a small amount of panic rising within his chest as the heat began to spread through the belly of the ship.

"But…" The Alchemist continued as he reached down to help her up. "Even I can tell you that's not good."

The orc, half orc, whatever the heck he had been was entirely forgotten. Instead his focus was now on the fire. It wouldn't take long for it to catch and spread, and once it did they would be trapped and surrounded by smoke. "We need to go!

Arius urged with all haste.

 

[Beckett]

While he may have been panicked, Beckett's face was filling with more joy. Almost as if this kind of chaos and adventure was her life-force. Her hand gripped his own and she was quickly on her feet. Squeezing past him, she led them the opposite direction of the quickly catching fire. Further into the ship.

"C'mon. We'll be fine. Probably. Maybe. I dunno actually." The smoke was getting thicker and thicker behind them. The heat growing at their backs. Dashing down a few more steps, they made it to the relatively dark cargo hold, stacked high with boxes and crates. Above them too high to reach was a slatted hatch to the topdeck.

"There," she pointed and reached into her jacket, sliding out a long, nasty looking knife. "Can you climb up there and start working on the latch lock?" Stepping back from Arius, the air began to stir. A supernatural breeze, then wind as Beckett used the air to shift crates into a makeshift climbable tower to reach that hatch.

"By the way, can you swim?"

Asked almost as an afterthought.

 

[Arius Flint]

Oh this was all supremely fascinating.

Arius had always had a good eye for magics, particularly when it came to that which most would not ordinarily have noticed. The attention to detail was why he made such a grand alchemist. He could see what others missed, and while that helped in his mixtures, it also helped now.

A thousand different questions rang through his head. Some more invasive than others, but ultimately even the young-non professor could see why now was definitely not the time to ask them. "Yes!"

He told her as he began to scramble upward.

While Beckett might not have been worried, he most certainly was. As much as he enjoyed the odd fire now and again, Arius didn't really like being in the middle of it. Thus he practically launched himself up, hands fiddling with the latch until finally there was a loud click and it popped open.

 

[Beckett]

"Go, go," she hollered up at him. The fire was already in the hold. Beckett scrambled up the first box and then easily pulled herself up to the next. Climbed again. The flames licked hire and hire. The only problem was, she didn't know what was in these crates.

Probably more alcohol.

The fae had a sneaky suspicion that this ship was about to explode. And she didn't even have the luck of leprechaun nor the intuition of a fate. Blue-haired head poked out of the opened hatch as she pulled herself free.

Arm would hook through Arius'. "No time for gawking, note-taking, or forming hypothesis, it's time to jump." Her other arm would try to snake around his waist as she tugged him along across the blistering deck for a jump over the railing and into the salty seas below.

 

[Arius Flint]

There was always time for looking, gawking, and note-taking.

Anyone who said otherwise just didn't have the memory to actually do it effectively. Luckily for Arius he could hang onto things like a bear-trap, and although there might not have been time to ask questions, he most certainly would remember every detail later.

That was assured. "Well, actually. We could also pro-"

Before he could say anything else Beckett tugged him forward.

"I really must insi-" Too late. The Fae suddenly reached out, grasped the back of his trousers and hoisted him over the side into the sea. He let out half a cry, his arms extending and whirling around for just a brief second before he collected himself and took a deep breath.

Five heart-beats passed before they hit the water, a splash followed quickly by another disturbing the already roiling seas. Their impact barely noted by the clattering waves all around them. The burning ship casting light into the endless depths.

 

[Beckett]

Head broke the surface with a gasp and wave of electric blue. Golden eye whipped around, holding a spark of worry while the blue held a flame of joy. The already sinking ship shuddered and began to plunge further into the cradle of the ocean. Beckett could feel the threat of an undertow from here.

"Arius?" She looked around for that mop of his dark, tangly hair set among a canvas of tan skin.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius broke through the water with a deep breathing gripping his lungs. "I'm fine!"

The Alchemist called.

"It's fine." His clothes were sopping wet, his boots were already soaked, and he felt as though he were dragging a ton of weights through the water. But he hadn't drowned. "Everything's fine!"

He called, the din of the fire growing louder and louder. "We need to get to the-"

As he spoke a loud explosion suddenly ruptured the ship he and Beckett had jumped from. The wooden boards creaking as stores of oil had caught fire and burst outward. Sundering the vessel and casting flames onto their own ship. "Things may not be fine."

Arius groaned.

 

[Beckett]

This...wasn't looking good.

Did these waters have kelpies in them?

If so, it was looking downright terrible. Kriff, she hadn't had this much excitement in over a decade.

"C'mon,!"

She began swimming around the burning ship they'd just jumped from. Around the bow. Had to get closer to theirs if she even had a chance at saving it. If it wasn't too late. Even from the roar of flames of the sinking ship, she could begin to hear the startled cries of crew and tied-up pirates that were beginning to awaken from that spell the Professor had used.

Awaken to catching fire.

Arms burned and feet slogged through the water and she drew closer and closer.

 

[Arius Flint]

"But, ah! That's!" Arius was objecting while getting two dozen mouthfuls of seawater.

It wasn't that he was a bad swimmer, but he didn't exactly have the stamina to perfectly keep himself afloat at sea. Not when the already tall waves were being riled up by the sinking ship just a few meters from him. Shaking his head and kicking his legs. "It's not very safe!"

The Alchemist called out after Beckett who was already swimming towards the prow of the ship.

His head shook, and instead of following after he sucked in a deep breath.

Then suddenly he dunked himself beneath the waves. His eyes snapped open, stinging from the salt water but no worse for wear. His gaze flickered around, he sea illuminated by the fires above them. Then quickly he began to swim after Beckett, avoiding the touch of heat upon himself as he dove beneath the flames.

As he swam with one arm, the other fumbled for the small satchel on his waist. Digging through the puch as he searched for something.

 

[Beckett]

Violet-blue hair plastered to her skin from the unrelenting waves. She felt the tug and pull of the ship they'd just burned and was in the process of sinking at her back. But before her was their ship. Keen-eyes could spot areas where the flames had blown over - spreading along canvas of the sails. Spots in the rigging.

Shouts from those waking up and more joining them rang out on the decks somewhere above her.

With a deep breath, the fae sunk beneath the waters and spread her arms beneath the seas. A motion in the water alerted her to Arius presence and briefly she wondered if he was drowning. Just as quickly, she dismissed the thought and focused on building a ceiling of air above her head. A ring around the ship.

Arms would slowly raise in the water as she pushed that ring of water up and out. The idea to help snuff out those fires above. The only problem was, she felt the undertow of the water at her back, its greedy fingers starting to snag and pull her deeper toward the sinking vessel.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius was fumbling beneath the waters, eventually finding what he was looking for.

"BLUB HA!" The alchemist called out, foolishly drinking near half a gallon of water within his excitement. He cursed himself inwardly, casting himself upward and briefly breaching the waves above as he took in a deep breath.

His head swiveled left, then right, searching.

He saw Beckett. the briefest glimpse as she shifted beneath the waves. "Hang onf!"

The Alchemist called as he swam forward, water still filling his mouth. Quickly he swam, a bottle in his hand as he rushed as quickly as he could. When he got closer, the cork popped from the end of the bottle, and with a single throw he tossed it forward.

It seemed to swivel, and then in the air it exploded. The liquid inside suddenly puffing up into a great solid foam atop the sea, floating like a life-boat.

 

[Beckett]

She squinted at him beneath the sea, looking like a crazed mermaid. Golden-eye glinting as it caught the flames of the fires above. For someone so slight, he could move pretty quickly when he wanted to.

An idle thought even as she braced herself for that bottle coming between them.

If it was like everything else of his.

Yup.

Quick reflexes slowed by the water, she still managed to reach out and get a hand on the edge of the...substance. Hard enough to grab onto something - yet still a little squishy. But then she felt it. The snatch of the undertow wanting to claim her. Even as the foam-like substance tugged her toward the surface.

Her fingers began to slip.

Trolls' balls.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius swam forward as fast as he could.

With the bottle now thrown the action was significantly easier, but the undertow of the ship and the waves crashing up high against the ship were still a struggle. The Alchemist pushed himself forward as fast as he could go.

He rushed towards Beckett. HIs arms straining and his muscles objecting to a torrent of work after a lifetime of lounging in the study. Yet even through the chaos which surrounded them, the young man managed to reach the waters. His fingers reached forward, one hand grabbing the odd foam, while the other lashed out towards the fae.

Fingers wrapped around her wrist.

With a heavy tug he pulled her up towards the surface.

Straining and letting out a low grunt as he did his best to yank her lithe form up and above the water. ”Come on now!”

He shouted through the din of the waves.

”There’s sfo mwuch left to le-” The words cut off as a wave sloshed over him. His grip nearly failing until he grasped her with his other hand, practically shoving her atop the strange foam.

 

[Beckett]

"You're" cough-cough," more sprite-," cough cough, "-ly than yo-," cough-cough,'ook." She rested for a moment, clothes clinging to her wet from. Stomach pressed against the odd foam structure as it bobbled on the ocean's surface. She didn't even have the energy to look up and see if her trick with air and water had put out the fires to their other ship.

The actual ship.

But she did tilt her head, cheek brushing against the foam as she realized that they'd floated a good distance away from both ships. And it was a little too late to try to board them again. And she didn't have the strength to blow them back toward it.

At least not now.

"Whelp," she sighed, letting her eyes drift to Arius before they struggled to stay open. "I hope this thingy lasts for a bit."

Yes, very scientific wording of thingy that he would probably appreciate.

Did she need to help him up? He could use her leg if he needed to crawl on her. Her foot twitched and her leg flopped in the water as if she was having this conversation with him instead of only in her head. In her head where it was nice and warm and peaceful and dreams beckoned her forward.

It better not be from fairy ferking Queen Mab.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius didn't hear half of what Beckett said, certainly not the kind compliment that she offered him with wracking coughs.

No, his attention was mostly on trying to claw himself up and onto the floating platform. Fingers digging into the strange substance as he pulled and yanked himself into place. A deep breath flowing into his lungs as he finally managed to take some purchase.

"Huh?" He intoned more than said, head turning like a confused puppy as he tried to puzzle out the words.

"Oh." His head turned, eyes settling on the distant ship. Stomach dropping with no small amount of dread. "A day..."

The Alchemist said, his voice turning to despair as the waves carried them further and further away. "I think."

He finished with a rather depressed whisper.

 

[Beckett]

Beckett groaned and struggled. Trying to shake off sleep. Off her delirium. Rolling over on something that reminded her of a waterbed back in Amol-Kalit her eyes cracked open to a dark sky filled with stars and a set of half-moons.

Blue-eye squinted. Golden eye widened. She sat up suddenly, looking around.

"Goblin poodoo, Arius, are you..," she looked around to make sure he was there. Things were fuzzy about how it all...ended. A quick glance at the darkness around them, seeing darker shapes on the horizon. Perhaps they weren't too far away from land.

That was something.

She just had no idea where it would end up being.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius was awake, very awake.

There had been dozens of studies done of the eficacy of magic keeping oneself awake. Stories had been told of certain spells and other effects that one could create to stave off sleep, and although he knew of many of them...Arius had decided not to rely on them at all.

Instead he had used one of the prodigious potions on his belt, and as Beckett spoke he almost immediately replied. "Yesi'mawakeandhavebeenforquitesometime."

The words shot rapid fire from his mouth.

"Iusedmathematicstoestablishourlocation." He explained quickly. "Thenmanagedtofashionasailoutofmyshirt."

Arius motioned towards the makeshift mast and sail he had created. "Ibelievewearenownearasetofislandsbutjustwhereicouldn'treally say."

A brief pause, then he added. "Unfortunately."

 

[Beckett]

She stared at him as she peeled herself off the foam-floaty-thingy and sat up. Then made her way slowly over to him. She'd heard about this before. When humans were dehydrated. Had he tried drinking salt water?!

For the first time since knowing him, worry crept into her different hued eyes.

She would slowly press the back of her hand against his forehead, checking for fever. At least, that's what she thought it did. She wasn't a healer but it was worth a shot. If only Akio was here, he was better at that stuff than she was.

"Are you...feeling okay?"

 

[Arius Flint]

The first thing Beckett would notice was that Arius was hot.

Not in a sense of attractiveness, but in terms of physical heat. The potion he’d drank cranked up one metabolism quite a bit, enducing an almost fever like quality at certain points. It wracked the body a bit of course, but was by and large a good thing.

At least that was what Arius would say if he was asked in that moment. ”Yesimfeelingreat.”

He said truthfully.

”Butthatwillonlylastanothertwoorthreehoursbeforeicrash.” Even after dosing himself with the potent drug he was still a scientist. His mind hadn’t gone anywhere and he knew very well what would eventually happen. ”Ithinkitbestwemakeourwaytolandasfastaspossible.”

Arius said with a point towards the distant lights.

 

[Beckett]

She frowned and withdrew her hand.

Humans.

But she did agree with him about getting to land. Stepping back, she reached inside her jacket pocket and began withdrawing a paddle. It didn't make sense that it fit in there. "Here," she offered it to the alchemist. "Start rowing that side." She'd point as her hand dipped inside another inner pocket of her jacked and she began withdrawing a second paddle.

"I'll go over there." Going to the opposite side of the foam raft, she got down on her knees and began dipping the paddle in the dark-moonlit waters, rowing them closer to those spots of land on the horizon.

 

[Arius Flint]

"Rightletsdothatimmediately." Arius agreed.

Without another word he rolled himself to the edge of the foam, biting in one hand to make sure that he did not slip into the water. Overnight he had been somewhat concerned about sharks and other sea predators, these oceans weren't exactly free of such things after all.

In fact he'd once read a book about the Leviathan's whic-

No. That didn't matter right now, he was supposed to be paddling.

His hands dipped into the water, and true to his word he began to row. He didn't know how long it took, perception of time being a rather odd thing after taking copious amounts of magical drugs. But eventually the Island once distant on the horizon drew closer and closer.

The sound of crashing waves echoing out, and a beach forming in front of them.

 

[Beckett]

There foamy-thingy would suddenly hit a solid BUMP as it came screeching to a halt several yards from the beach ahead. Beckett peeked over the side. It was too dark to truly confirm but she suspected they'd hit a reef. Holding open her jacket, she pushed the paddle back into the inside pocket. Head whipped to Arius.

"C'mon, looks like we'll have to swim the last bit." Legs swung over the side and she began to slide into the dark waters. Neck craned as she kept her eyes on the Alchemist. Still worried about his overall...condition.

The land ahead looked dark. No signs of flickering torchlights. At least not from here. She just hoped there was a portal wherever this was. Or perhaps she'd be able to sense the leylines.

 

[Arius Flint]

Arius jumped into the water with reckless abandon. Offering not the slightest objection or anything of the sort. He quickly made his way to the beach, paddling as quickly as a championship swimmer with the attitude of a Golden Retriever.

It was, rather, a remarkable feat how quickly he managed to reach the shore. "Areyoustillinthewaterordidasharkgetyou?"

The Alchemist called out.

"Ithinkwe'reprobablysomewhere in...the..." A long sigh suddenly escaped him, his knees feeling wobbly. "Oh...Bayou..."

Beckett would hear a loud thud from her place within the water as Arius collapsed onto his knees. The entirety of his body suddenly feeling as though he had been hit by a cart drawn by thirty seven and a half horses.