Fate - First Reply Another Test

[Noel]

Noel's eyes widened at the insinuation of the fictional dwarf. "Little Gunther? I was cleaning blood out of my blouse for weeks after his itsy shave."

She faked a grin but internally the young initiate was panicking slightly. Based on his story, that the main mast "fell" on the captain, she wondered if perhaps there was an on-going mutiny. But the question of why remained and clearly this fool was just a pawn in the game.

For a brief moment she considered simply slashing his throat. Ending the wretch's life and moving on to put down whatever foolish ambitions the 'smart members' of the crew had concocted.

Her knife pressed further into his throat as she weighed their options. It would be so easy, a simple tug of her elbow, one quick little dash, and he'd be ended. For whatever reason some strange sense of morality got the best of her.

"Rope," she gestured to Edric before punching their prisoner out cold. A simple cock of her arm and the rapid collision of her fist was more than enough to send him into a quiet solace of unconsciousness. "We'll bind him and find out what's what."

She said as she began to wrap bindings around his wrists and ankles. She wouldn't need to communicate to Edric that they'd play the fools when they went above deck. He was smart enough to pick up on her plan.

 

[Edric]

After the man was bound, and the two initiates headed out the doorway into the hall Edric frowned. He realized that if there was a mutiny he and Noel would likely be fucked.

Neither of them had much knowledge when it came to ships, and if the crew wouldn't cooperate they would likely be stranded out at sea. Even if they did kill half of them, it might mean they wouldn't have the number to operate the damned ship.

Fingers tightened into fists, and he pushed the thought away as they ascended the steps.

As they wandered onto the top deck they found the men gathered in a circle. Two of them immediately rushed forward, each brandishing a knife. Edric glanced towards Noel in a split second, the scenario playing in his head.

His hand came up, grasping a forearm that wrapped around his throat and placed a knife against it.

"Steady now, lad. Steady. No one needs to get hurt."​

Well I doubt that. Edric thought to himself, glancing over at Noel for a moment and seeing if she was in the same state that he found himself in.

 

[Noel]

No. There was no way they were going to be taken prisoner a second time on the same mission. Especially not by this group of untalented sailors that Noel or Edric could easily dispatch all by themselves. It was insulting and ridiculous and...

The pointy edge of a spear nudged into Noel's lower back as the circle of sailors began to close following the words of whom she presumed was their leader. Thoughts raced through her head. Maybe if they just slaughtered two or three of them there'd still be plenty of crew to get them back to dry land? Unless they only had two helmsmen and they accidentally murdered those two?

Surely Edric was going through the same thought process. They couldn't just kill these men with reckless abandon lest they slaughter a vital member of the crew. And there was no guarantee that even killed a few of them would convince the rest of the sailors to give up on this mutiny.

They understood that the Dreadlords likely didn't have experience at sea.

High upon the central mast she could see the captain that had agreed to give them passage bound to it by rope. Baking in the sun with a blackeye. If they survived this she'd remember that this wasn't his choice.

"OK, no one needs to get hurt. Now what?" her words echoed as more blades were drawn, more spears pointed at the two initiates, and a broad grin burst out upon the face of the mutinous men's leader.

"You're gonna drop your little dagger and let my men bind your wrists. We're heading somewhere fun, luv."

A few ideas raced her head. They could be planning on ransoming the two back to Vel Anir but she wasn't sure the academy would even pay a ransom. Of course, if they got back to Vel Luin they could just slaughter the whole crew. Maybe they were being taken Teth? A ransom from there could be more successful, assuming Vel Anir would pay. Or maybe...

Cerak? Surely no one was dumb enough to think they could sell two Dreadlords into slavery. Or were they?

 

[Edric]

He wanted to scream. He couldn't believe that they were being captured. He couldn't believe that once more their freedom was being snatched. The situation would have been comical if it wasn't for the frustration welling up in his heart.

"I can't believe this is fucking happening again." Edric said with a groan, his head tilting back as the blade pressed into his throat.

"Again? What the fuck are you talking about?"​

The man in front of them looked utterly confused, some of the others joining him in his consternation. SOme of the crew members whispered to one another, though Edric didn't hear what they said. "Nevermind."

Edric said through gritted teeth.

"Just fucking bind our hands of whatever." His jaw set as the man in front of him took half a step forward. "We all know how this ends anyway."

"Ya, with the both of you in cages and us with a big fat bag of gold."​

Oh yes. They really were that dumb.

 

[Noel]

A sigh escaped Noel's lips. "Fine, go ahead."

Her dagger clanked to the floor of the ship and she adjusted her platinum-lined hairband to ensure it stayed on while the sailors handled the two initiates. Before long both of them had their wrists bound tightly in a fisherman's knot and they were crowded by the men so closely that the stench of their breath and body odor was impossible to ignore.

She couldn't help but fight the urge to attack as one man grabbed her by the arm and forcibly moved her forwards. Out of her periphery she saw another doing the same to Edric.

The leader wasn't lying either, they really did have cages. Three of them in total, each in the shape of a large box and bolted to the boards. One of the three had a covering on top, likely to block out the sun and the rain, with a blonde-haired teenager inside who looked to be no older than thirteen or fourteen.

Noel was placed in one cage, Edric another, with the teenage captive in the middle of them both. A large iron lock kept the bars closed and the leader cleared his throat to issue another proclamation.

"If ya behave, we keep the tarp on. Any funny business and ye'll cook in the sun like our dear ol' cap'n."​

With that a similar covering was placed over the two Dreadlord's cages and the sailors left them be with a single guard standing watch. He lacked any keys to open it but they did hand him a horn to accompany his curved blade. He crossed his arms and leaned up against one of the masts, staring out into the ocean. Clearly uninterested in whatever the trio did.

"This isn't good." Noel eyed the other prisoner, she looked harmless, likely a stowaway they found or something. But her presence only cemented the idea that these buffoons were planning on sailing to Cerak At'Thul. They were going to take two Dreadlords to the pirate city of slavery.

 

[Edric]

As the door to the cage fell closed Edric bit his tongue.

A part of him had to fight to stop himself from tearing apart every member of the crew bit by bit, and the dagger at his throat only helped push him even more towards doing so. By the time Noel and Edric were sealed with their mysterious companion the Initiate was practically fuming.

"You think so?" Edric offered sarcastically.

Immediately he began to study the look, looking at the ancient iron and realizing that breaking it wouldn't really be all that difficult. Of course, that wasn't really the problem at all, particularly given who was in the cage besides him.

The problem was the crew, and the fact that neither of them were fucking sailors. "What do you know about Cerak?"

Because Edric knew fuck all.

The Pirate City hadn't exactly been a point of interest for him...ever. The only thing he knew about the place was that they didn't want to go there.

As Edric looked expectantly at Noel, a mousey voice came from behind him.

"It's...it's not a nice place."

The girl whispered quietly. His head turned to look at her as she shifted in her cage, glancing at the two Dreadlords. Only then did Edric notice the point in her ears.

 

[Noel]

Noel must've noticed it at the same time as her compatriot. Pointed ears that marked one as a member of the elvish race. She had never cared much about whether someone was human or not. Noel prized strength and cunning above all else and she'd seen plenty of weak and feeble humans to know that the more racist Proctors were delusion at best.

"What do you know of it?" Perhaps it was their predicament or the fact that the Dreadlord initiate knew little of Cerak herself but for once she was actually interested in what someone outside the academy had to say.

A shade of rose painted the child's cheeks as she partially uncurled herself from the ball she was forming with her arms and knees. She glanced up at Noel, then cast a view towards Edric, before meeting the raven-haired girl's face again.

"I was there, for a time. Until I wasn't. I smuggled myself out trying to get back home."

The Falwood? How did she end up in Cerak in the first place? It was a question she didn't have to ponder long as the curly haired blonde elf continued.

"Slavers came, took a few of us from the edge of the treeline."

She pressed her face against her legs once more. Likely fighting back tears as she tried to come to terms with the idea of being back in that place. Of being a slave again.

"You won't be going back to Cerak," Noel reassured her sternly before locking eyes with Edric, "or at least, you won't be there for long." They weren't about to be slaves and Noel wasn't going to let them press this child into slavery either.

 

[Edric]

Surprisingly, perhaps shockingly so, Edric felt more than a tinge of sympathy for the girl.

Despite all they had been told growing up, despite the efforts of Proctors and Nobles...Edric had never hated the Elves. His experience with them had been utterly different than most of the others. He had fought them on occasion, a mission or two.

But his first impressions of them had not been formed on the field of battle.

No, it had come in the dark pits beneath the Academy. When the Proctors had tried to break him, kill him. When they had taken Elven prisoners and forced Edric to take their life. He could still remember them, their thin and emaciated faces.

The fear in their eyes.

As the girl huddled into herself Edric couldn't help those memories from flooding back. "She's right."

His voice was solid, stern.

"You won't be." They just had to figure out a way to get the fuck out of there.

The girl looked up at them for a moment, lips thin, eyes watering. Edric could practically feel the distrust in her gaze, and yet...and yet there was a desperate hope there. A want to believe them.

"I...there's Islands...near the city. Dozens of them...some have towns and villages with boats. Not all of them like that place."​

Her voice was quiet, a whisper so quiet that Edric had to strain to hear.

"That's how...that's how we escaped the first time. Me and..."​

The girls voice trailed off.

 

[Noel]

"Then we'll make for one of those islands. And you'll escape once more, for the last time." Noel didn't want the younger girl to dwell on whatever tragic event she was fixated on.

Perhaps it was a parent or a sibling or simply a friend. It didn't matter now, they weren't here. What mattered now was that their new companion remained calm. That she followed what Noel or Edric needed her to do. There was no doubt in her mind that the three of them would slip loose. No one, not even Cerak slavers, were ever going to imprison Dreadlords on a permanent basis.

Brown eyes stared into the girl's face, the slightest tinge of pity coloring Noel's face. "I'm Noel. I'm not afraid and you shouldn't be either." Her words were softer than usual. Kind.

It was a tone she'd need to remove from her vocabulary going forward. Kindness wouldn't help her reach the lofty heights she was aiming for. Dreadlords weren't kind. They were ruthless. But that was something she could work on later.

"I'm Alvernia," she said wiping the tears that had begun to run down her cheeks.
​

"When we get nearer to Cerak can you point out one of those islands? One that isn't home to the slavers?" Noel would break the locks to their cages at any point. She just needed to wait until they could either swim to land or use one of the life rafts that the ship likely kept below deck.

Unless Edric had a better plan.

 

[Edric]

“I-I-can do that.”

The Elf whispered softly, nodding her head as she looked between Noel and Edric. The latter nodded his head slowly, flashing her a smile.

Noel made it sound easy, and in a way…it would be. Breaking out of this cage would take seconds, killing their way through the crew wouldn’t be hard either. The difficult part would be finding the right island, hoping it did actually have a town.

In a way it was a stroke of luck finding the girl. Without her they wouldn’t even know whether an island was worthwhile or not. ”Try to get some rest now while you can.”

He told the Elf, then glanced to Noel. ”When we get there, we’ll have to move fast.”

The Elf girl nodded her head once again, and then slowly shifted within her cage. Edric leaned back against the bars, glancing towards Noel and letting out a long sigh. A hand ran through his hair, and then the wait began.

It took them nearly three days to travel from Cortos all the way to Cerak, and according to some of the crew he overheard that sort of speed was nearly unheard of. The trade-winds apparently took them almost the entire way, rushing them down the coast and through the open sea until the islands of the Black Bay came into view.

The food they had been provided was meager, and the few times they had been allowed outside of the cage had been for bathroom breaks. None of them were allowed a wash save for a bucket of water thrown on them at the second day. Aside from that they spent utterly in misery.

Edric entertained himself mostly with counting nails in the boards below him, and listening to every word the crew members said. He’d already formed a list in his head, who would die first and how.

By the time the islands came into view it was was a quite extensive list.

 

[Noel]

"Very fast," she agreed.

Noel took Edric's other words literally, even if he was addressing the young elvish girl. When she first tried resting her back against the iron bars she silently cursed herself for giving him the cot and taking first watch. It was going to be weeks until she felt the embrace of a mattress once more.

The next three days were spent living off scraps, massaging out cricks in her neck from the hard wood and metal cage she rested against, and getting to know Alvernia a bit better.

For an elf she proved to be rather quick. According to her she'd be particularly interested in elven history and to hear her go on and on about thousands of years of elvish civilization was a fascinating thing to listen to. Noel would mostly stay silent and let the girl speak, asking a question here or there, but primarily just soaking it in. She wasn't sure if it was because Vel Anir only fed Dreadlords what they felt they needed to know or if it was due to the much shorter life span of humans but the history of elves seemed far more detailed. Far more engaging.

"There. Near the horizon." Noel whispered quietly as Alvernia's emerald eyes took in the small patches of land. Eventually they could see a lush island with a few wooden shacks on the coast and Alvernia's face lit up.

"That's it! Teaobo!"
​

It was louder than it should've been but the raven-haired initiate had come to view the elvish girl as something of a little sister in the three days they'd spent in captivity. A small grin came upon her face as she reveled in the idea of killing the sailor who had grabbed her on day two or the sailor's who had made crude jokes about Alvernia and Noel or honestly just the thought of raiding their food supplies for a proper meal once this was all settled.

Noel had spent her time in captivity doing more than trying to sleep and conversing with their fellow captive though. She'd tried reaching out to all of the metal that had surrounded her. The warm iron baking in the sun, trying to feel it in the same way she'd mastered platinum. Despite years of trying to learn how to mend and meld other metals at the academy the stakes had never been real.

They'd never been as necessary as they were today.

In a second there were three cages with a sailor or two standing watch on the other side. In the next second a shout escaped Noel's lungs and three metallic gates flew off their hinges and moved forward, crashing into one of their guards and leaving the other dumbfounded.

Their cages were opened and Noel was already stumbling forward with a makeshift shank in hand.

 

[Edric]

Edric's fingers curled inward as the gates exploded outward. Magic pooled within his core, and a wicked grin drew over his features.

The guard thrown onto the floor caught his eyes as the Initiate stepped out from the cage. His mouth opened to say something, but before he could utter a single sound a choking erupted from his throat. His eyes bulged, and then suddenly his skin began to shrivel.

Horror drew through the man's features as his life was wrenched free, dragged into the reserve that Edric held at his core. The other man lowered his cudgel, watching as his friend seemed to whither and die within just a few seconds.

"Wha-what the fuck."​

He exclaimed, and within half a breath Edric swept forward and caught the man's throat.

Thumb and index pressed into his skin, the air stolen from the Pirate as Edric's fingers scrunched. There was a loud snap that rang out, and then he let the man tumble to the floor with a thud. "Stay behind me."

Noel didn't have the luxury of taking someone else's strength like he did. Out of the three of them he was in the best shape.

"Get to the lifeboats." It had occurred to him a day ago that swimming would be...difficult with their current state. Alvernia was so skinny that he doubted she had any muscle left. They needed one of the longboats.

 

[Noel]

Noel nodded as she gripped the shank in one hand, the elven girl Alvernia rushing to her side. She'd let Edric deal with the bulk of the sailors, his magic gave him an edge over them that Noel did not possess, but she was more than capable of dealing with anyone who stood between them and their boat to freedom.

"The Captain," she said gesturing to the poor man who'd been baking in the sun all this time. What Edric did from there was up to him but as the man had shown them a kindness Noel thought they owed him something. If not freedom then a swift death after the suffering he was likely in.

She stumbled forward with the elf girl clinging to the back of her clothes. The first sailor who approached them charged forward with a cutlass which she easily parried with her scrap of metal before burying it in his gut.

A few more paces and they were at the bow of the ship, she lowered the elven child into one of the lifeboats before straddling the thing herself.

She glimpse towards Edric and hoped he'd be right behind them but she waited until he made his way over before fully committing to the craft. "If I scream for you to run, head to Teaobo." The command was stern and short, she didn't want the child to delay.

With that she emerged and headed towards her fellow initiate to ensure he made it out alright.

 

[Edric]

The moment Noel said the word Edric clambered over towards the main mast. His fingers tightened as he reached the strung up Captain, lips thinning. He moved to untie the knots that kept the man in place, but the bare pale of his voice echoed out.

"S-s-save yourself l-l-lad."

His words were a rasp.

Edric looked up at him. The man's skin was cracked, burnt. A dozen knife cuts decorated his skin, layering over nearly every inch of his flesh. Bruises lined his face, and his eyes appeared sunken, as though someone had tried to dig them out.

"J-just g-go."​

The Captain begged.

"I-I...."​

Before the man could finish speaking someone behind Edric let out a shout. The voice echoed over the top deck, a Sailor calling to the man trying to Untie the Captain. Edric cursed as he spotted Noel moving towards him. "GO!"

He shouted to his companion, looking up at the Captain. "I'm sorry."

A breath swept into his lungs, and then suddenly the Captain let out a sputtering noise as the Initiates Magic seized at the life within him. In an instant the bare candle wisp of flame that still lingered within his was snuffed out, dragged into Edric's reserve.

The Captain Dead, Edric ran. Rushing towards Noel and grabbing her arm to spin her around and tug her along to the lifeboat.

A part of him wanted to stay. Wanted to slaughter the crew and see this ship burn, and yet...a voice in his head told him to do something more important. To get Noel out. To fulfill his promise. To make sure they all got home.

 

[Noel]

There was a strange sense of... sadness that overcame her as Edric snuffed the life out of the captain.

He'd showed them a kindness and it was because of the two Dreadlords that he was now dead. Noel wasn't angry or upset with Edric, it was obvious even from a distance that the captain wasn't going to make it. He wouldn't have survived the journey to the small island that the elvish girl had called Teaobo. He'd cooked in the sun too long, his strength was too far faded. And it was because of them.

She'd killed before, seen death before, but never had someone extended generosity and died because of it.

Rage suddenly filled her gut as Edric grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the life raft. No. It wasn't because of the two Dreadlords or the dainty elven teenager that the captain was dead now. It had been his crew, his awful and sickening crew who'd taken advantage of a man who had obviously refused to betray his principles.

Refused to sell two initiates into slavery.

"Stop," she said simply at first but Ed's grip remained tight as the pair was within spitting distance of their ride to freedom. "STOP!" She screamed simply before turning her gaze towards the various sailors who were rushing them.

"Aaauagghgh!!"

A blood curdling scream escaped her lips as the iron cages tore themselves apart. They flew through the various assailants who pursued them, the top deck being covered in blood and viscera, and then the fragmented chunks of iron and the detached bars that were formerly pieced together floated high into the air.

They would pay for this. They'd all die for this. It was what they deserved and the initiate was ready to give it to them.

Noel was pulled into the lifeboat by Edric, who flung himself in right afterwards, and just as they were being lowered into the waters a crash could be heard as Noel released the suspended metal. Splintering wood filled the air, the sounds of a groaning ship and the screams of crew followed. Alvernia stared at Noel.

It was only then she realized she was shaking, hands trembling, as the teenage elf buried an oar into the waves. Panickily rowing to try and escape the collapsing ship behind them.

 

[Edric]

The boat fell into the sea, with Edric having yanked Noel into the ship itself.

Above A storm of wood splintered around from the ship. The hurricane of iron breaking through the ship over and over again. Rain of splinters fell down on the little life-boat, Edric had covering the Elven girl as she reached out and desperately grabbed at the oars.

The gurgling sound of the ship beginning to fall into the sea reached out behind them, and Edric quickly fell into the seat besides the Elf. With quick strokes the two of them matched pace, carrying them away from the sinking frigate.

There was a brief pause, a wait.

Then the ship finally broke into pieces as Noel's magic took its full toll. The sound of crashing wood and torn splints echoed out, the vessel falling into the sea.

"Well." Edric said, looking at the shaking, blood stained Noel. "I..."

He glanced at the Elf, then to Noel again. Cutting his own tongue before he could say anything foolish. "Are you alright?"

Edric asked.

 

[Noel]

"I'm," she hesitated for a second as she collected herself, hands still shaking, "peachy."

Noel wiped a smear of blood from her cheek and inhaled slowly. The shaking came to a stop.

"They didn't get to just go to Cerak." Things were starting to quiet as they got further from the sunken ship, the screaming of panicked sailors replaced by the gentle rowing of Alvernia and Edric's oars in the water. "We were going to be made slaves. They let their captain just... rot away."

That wasn't what was actually bothering her though. No matter how much she protested. The deaths of a group of sailors-turned-pirates wasn't any sort of problem for her conscious.

"They don't get to just run away and live their lives after that."

In truth it was the fact she had lost control. The viciousness she had attacked with. The fact that she could, apparently, control iron to such a startling degree. Her strength in combat, and indeed with her use of magic, had always been control. Precise control.

She'd lost her temper, let her emotions get the better of her, and it had unlocked magical talents she didn't know existed.

 

[Edric]

Edric slowly tipped his head in a nod. "They were slavers."

There would be no argument from him. Those men had deserved the fate they suffered, had deserved that and more. He himself had thought about killing them, but it had seemed too time consuming too...brutal, but how Noel had done it?

Perhaps it was for the best. "Don't worry about it."

Edric said as he continued to row.

"You did the right thing." He did not know of that panic which raced through Noel's heart, that self judgment for losing control. Yet he could still read that something was wrong, that she had tripped upon the steps. "Sometimes..."

The Initiate said slowly. "Sometimes we just need to go a little further."

A fact which both of them had experienced on this journey.

The elf. The little girl that they had saved. The slave that they had freed stared at Noel, glanced to Edric as he spoke. Then slowly, almost as if granting a beat of absolution, nodded her head in agreement.

 

[Noel]

Slavers. Had... had Noel and Edric been enslaved? They'd never really been given a choice other than the academy. Were the slavers she'd just killed any different than the Anirian officials she grew up idolizing?

Irrelevant. No need to think about that. Especially not now.

"It didn't help us escape. I'll try to refrain from any further outbursts," she said with a swallow of saliva as her gaze focused on the lapping waves against their little craft. "What can you tell us about Teaobo?"

She was eager to change the subject and it didn't seem likely that Alvernia could relate to having magical abilities that could destroy a ship.

"It's nice. The people there are very welcoming, they escaped Cerak slavers long ago and have survived all this time."

Curious. How did they keep the slavers at bay? Surely someone had attempted to raid the island over the years? "Will we be safe?"

Alvernia paused and pressed a finger to her chin. "I think so. They should remember me. They were really nice."

 

[Edric]

For a few moments he watched Noel, words laying upon his tongue. He wanted to say more, reassure her, offer a comforting hand, but now wasn't the time. Teeth sank into his tongue, and he silenced himself.

Edric stayed quiet as Alvernia explained the island they were heading towards, his thoughts reflecting Noel's almost perfectly.

How the hell had these people stayed free?

Cerak was just a stones throw away from them now, perhaps less than a day from what the Sailors had said. So why would they not just take back this island? He frowned, but decided it was best not to ask. Not now. Instead he continued the steady beat of his oar.

Slowly, quietly the trio began to make their way towards the island. The waves lapped at them, ten minutes, then fifteen minutes passing by. Before long they drew closer to the Isle of Teaobo, the sound of their ship landing upon the sand echoing out.

Edric pulled himself free from the boat first, staring at the island before them.

"The Village is on the other side of the Island. We'll have to go through the caves, but I know the way."​

An excitement tinged the Elf's words as she hopped out of the boat and began to trudge up the beach. "You realize that back home they'd tell us she was leading us into a trap?"

Edric whispered quietly to Noel, not that he thought that.

 

[Noel]

"We dealt with the last few who tried to ensnare us just fine," she whispered back to Edric with a glance out into the sea.

If it was a trap Alvernia wasn't involved. That much Noel was certain of. Besides... "I'd like to know how these people held off the slavers. Don't you?"

Curiosity killed the cat, everyone knew that. But Noel and Edric weren't some helpless kittens. Ignoring her own selfish desires of wanting to know about these people there was some justification behind uncovering Teaobo's secrets. If they posed a threat to Vel Anir or its naval power it would be prudent to notate it.

Noel didn't bother to ask the frail young elven girl why they had to take the caves rather than simply pressing on beyond the isle's jungle-forest. Instead she kept pace with the girl as Alvernia regaled them with talk of the last time she was here.

"They served us some delicious pineapple nectar and pork that they cooked in big holes dug into the sand."

Pacing through the small caves was a short trek until the light at the other side poked through and Alvernia sped up. "It's just up ahead!" she called while running off in the distance of the light.

 

[Edric]

It was a fair enough point, though Edric wanted to point out that every time they did escape it left behind a pile of corpses. Likely something that wouldn't help either of them here. Still, it wasn't as though they had a wealth of choices.

So Edric quietly followed along behind Noel and Alvernia.

The girl seemed much more electric now that she was off the ship, practically bouncing from step to step as they continued through the cave. In a strange way it was nice to see. Life drawing into the little Elf with each passing moment.

"Wait don't go too fa-" Before Edric could finish his sentence Alvernia was already half a dozen meters ahead of them. She was practically a blur, and if he hadn't known any better the Initiate would have said it was some sort of magic.

The light from the outside obscured her form as she dashed forward, Noel and Edric taking to a quick jog to follow after her.

Sunlight beamed over him, casting into his eyes. A hand ran over his face, blocking the light for just a brief moment as his eyes adjusted. When his vision returned, he found thirteen men standing in a ring around him and Noel. Each of them held a crossbow pointed directly at the two Initiates.

Alvernia was standing just besides ones of them, her features showing no hint of concern. "Uhh...we're with her."

Edric said, pointing at the Elf girl who vigorously nodded at his words.

 

[Noel]

Alvernia kept nodding as she chimed in with a quick, "yes! They're with me! They helped me escape!"

One of the men with crossbows snorted. Well, no, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't so much of a snort as it was an oink.

Noel squinted and looked over the crowd of defenders who encircles them. Their flesh was similar, albeit a bit more harry than the average human and several shades darker (likely tanned from the constant sunshine). Where the changes really came about was in their faces which were scrunched up with porcine snouts. Their ears were folded over unto themselves and long strands of hair crest out wildly.

And then her gaze glanced towards their feet. Which weren't feet at all, they were hooves.

"Can't be too careful Alvie," the assumed leader grunted back. "Need to take 'em to the shaman."

A wild squeal emerged from the captain as two of the pig-men affixed their crossbows to a knot on their waist and moved in quickly towards the pair of initiates with rope in hand. Their captain spoke up once more, "they're just gonna bind your wrists behind your back until our village's leader gives you the a-OK. The fact that Alvie vouches for you will be taken into consideration."

"No." Noel's words came quickly and were said so firmly that the man, or, pig... person... that came closer to her delayed for half a step. "We mean you no harm and we saved Alvernia."

Their leader looked unconvinced but it was the elven girl who spoke up before anyone else could say a word.

"They saved me. They dispatched of an entire ship of slavers."

The pig-captain's rounded eyes widened into saucer-like ovals at this news. It was likely the tribe had seen the boat splinter and collapse into the ocean given their proximity.

 

[Edric]

Edric stared at the strange...people that surrounded them.

He had never seen anyone quite like it. Not on any missions he'd been on, not in any of the few books he had actually read. It was like they were...pigs? Yes. That was what they reminded him of, lips thinning for a brief moment as he bit his tongue.

That was definitely not something to bring up. No. Best to be quiet. "We mean you no harm."

Edric tried to keep his voice flat, the tone calm. He didn't want to fight these people. He didn't want to harm them. All that he wanted was a way off this island, back to Vel Anir. Back home. Where he had promised both he and Noel would get back to.

"We have spent the last week in chains." Edric added. "We...just don't want to any more."

There was a pause, the man looked at some of the others. It was as if they were speaking something unsaid. They looked at Edric, then to Noel. They seemed to quietly deliberate, and then a round of nods passed between them.

"Aye...we can understand that lad. No ropes, but you try anything and we put more than a few quills in you."​

Edric looked to Noel, then back to the strange pig man. "Fair enough."

 

[Noel]

Alvernia’s words seemed to carry weight with the pig-men and the fact that Noel and Edric had managed to keep their tones calm gave enough comfort that binding the two initiates was no longer on the table.

A positive turn of events. They’d been captives enough times in the past few days.

It was a short walk towards a series of huts with a large one, she presumed the Shaman’s, in the center. As they stepped through the light brush and the sandy ground the elven girl accompanying them conversed with their porcine hosts about where the elf had gone and how she’d ended up in the clutches of slavers once more.

“Keep your hands by your sides,” the leader of the battalion of pig-men warned, “we won’t hesitate to fire if we think you intend the shaman harm.”

Noel nodded while subconsciously taking note of precisely how many of the guards surrounded them. A quick mental calculation told her the odds of survival if they loosed crossbow bolts was quite low. She simply didn’t have enough metal to fully encase herself or Edric.

The main hut was dim, illuminated only by the low light of a few candles. A haze of ritualistic yellowed smoke and the smell of incense danced around the pair of Dreadlord trainees. In the very center of the hut sat a throne crafted from oak and bones. It was a colossal piece of craftsmanship and occupying the chair was an equally colossal pig-woman who wore a bronzed helmet adorned with feathers and fish-bones hanging off string.

Noel stood in awe of the scene for a moment, waiting for something to happen.

Someone to say something.

Only nothing happened, the shaman’s eyes just kept darting back-and-forth between the two initiates.

”We need safe passage back,” Noel’s words died mid-sentence as the shaman oinked loudly at her. Oinked.

Then she felt it… a strange sensation in her own head… the mind of the shaman burrowed deep within her own. How long had this been going on for? As soon as they had entered the hut? As soon as they stepped foot on the island? This was why the slavers had stayed away from Teaobo. Why the island village was so safe despite its proximity to Cerak.

”You wish to return home. Back to Vel Anir. Back to your academy.” The voice exploded in Edric and Noel’s minds as the shaman read through their thoughts like a scholar studying a tome. ”I can help. For a price.”

An audible oink followed the voice that boomed in the initiate’s brains.