Then, from Rakatau's open mouth, a pair of spirit-skiffs sailed by lovely nymphs emerges, riding a cresting wave. Leading the water elementals is Queen Sylpheel, radiant and brave even in her sadness. The boats bear the saviors of Rakatau: Lasuri, Zeru, Kiana, Kareth and Tageru, battered by their recent battles but far from broken, retaining a fierce will to fight. In Captain Lasuri's hand is Kimbery's cursed chalice, a cup of orichalcum tainted into a dull brassy shade flecked with verdigris.

"The Sea Drake!" "Captain Zeru!" "Miss Kiana!" Voices shout out the names of the Dragon-bloods returning from their task. "...They're back!"

"Lasuri!" shouts Jadira from the deck of the Dryad. But the distraction is just enough for Hazhain Sul to slash with his auhzian sword and knock her daiklave away from her! Around her are Donnegal and Saari, Madigan and Duarte, men fighting to protect what's theirs, and to support their first mate... but there are bodies among them too, and not all of them Lintha.

On the Marlena, Zeru can almost see Cinna's hair, blazing red in the torchlight, and the black wings of vengeful Marlena herself, wrapping 'round her vessel as if to deny the demon-spawn passage. Cinna and the twins are back to back fighting off two pairs of demon-spawn. Antov defends a wounded Sunden with a hatchet thick with Lintha blood... and the fight rages on!

It seems consideration has been made for the less water-mobile Dragon-blooded. For waiting outside for them is a strange vessel, less of a traditional ship than a piece of Rakatau split off from the larger body, floating by its own power. It is a miniature, living island, large enough to challenge the size of the Kri Kiamo, offering its back as a platform to ride into the fray. As Sylpheel and her nymph guards climb aboard the island ship, one of the score of jokun aboard shouts down, "Come, before it is too late!"

---

OOC: Ok, since we're not rolling any of this, I'm totally going to let you start freeforming (within reason, i.e. only things your character sheet says you can do :D) how you'll help the battle. Assume the island ship, jokun and nymphs will follow your commands and/or cooperate as necessary!

At the moment the Alliance is holding its ground, but with the Dragon-blooded returning and the aid of the elementals, it'll get tough for the Lintha. :)

Zeru stands firm at the prow of one of the boats being propelled by the nymphs. Undaunted by the speed he grins as they break the maw or Rakatau the sea sprays him with salty air and he laughs into the wind as he leaps from the prow. Using his gifts as one of Da'naad's chosen he lands in a run on top of the water. He charges towards his ship and lashes Tempest to one of the rails on the side.

Zeru does not break stride as his feet leave the water and run a wide circle across the side of the marlena, reeling his chain in as he does so. His stride breaks as he leaps into the air. He goes not over, but through this feathery shield. He does not fear what would be on the other side, as he passes through he appears on the other side in a burst of small black feathers. Tempest whirls around him like the storm it was named for, keeping the feathers locked around him with its wind. Almost without warning Tempest reaches out wrapping up one of the Lintha facing Cinna and the Twins. Using his newfound anchor Zeru swings himself into the fray. He pulls hard on the rope, sending the lintha spinning towards the starbord rail. [Private to Storyteller: stuck rudder infliction ;)] His new foe turns with his hooked sword to face the Marlena's captain. Zeru's movements pull him out of the way of a downward chop, one he aids with one of his hands. As his body turns to the side his leg lashes upwards, kicking the bastard in the chin. "Hello guys, you miss me?" He says happily before he notices that the one he sent spinning has appeared to catch his bearings. With a mischevious smile he plants a kiss on Cinna's cheek and mutters "Take care of these other two for me would you guys?" then tears off at his full speed. Halfway there Zeru leaps into the air, kicking with all his might. Fortunately for him the Lintha is still woozy from the spinning or it would have dodged. But Zeru's foot lands home and the Lintha flies back, his legs catching on the rail and sending him headfirst over the side. Zeru pushes off and backflips landing on his feet.

A lintha who was fighting Antov recognizes the bigger threat, and shouts something to his partner who continues to harry Antov. The other leaps down the stairs hoping to overwhelm the captain's dance. With a casual spin Zeru kicks the jade ball backwards and upwards, loosening the bastard's grip on his weapon. It did so well, for when Zeru interposes his bracers he pulls the hooked blade from it's master's hand. His hand wraps around the handle and he tosses the blade overboard with a smile. "Guess what guys?" He says to the Lintha. "That fool of a cup you were looking for got its ass handed to it." His taunt works as the enraged lintha tries to attack Zeru unarmed. Zeru dodges the blow and returns it with one of his own, a sideways two handed strike with the jade ball. It's partially soaked by the pirate's armor but it's still got enough force to knock him off balance. Especially when it's followed up with a sweep from Zeru's leg. Zeru finishes his combo with a quick stomp on the Lintha's neck, one that would keep him out of the fight permanently. The young captain is fulfilling his promise, he has become a maelstrom of pain and suffering brought down on the Lintha. He seems excited to be in a knock-down drag-out brawl rather than a war against giant monsters.

Tageru jumps up onto the deck of the ship, and starts raining death from his bow at the Lintha. One, two, four fall before his onslaught, and then even more. If any are foolish enough to come close to the monk-warrior, he kills them with his fists, swatting them away like flies.
"DEMON WORSHIPERS! We have come from the depths of the behemoth, after defeating your vile master's puppets. You are nothing more than just another bunch of their wretched servants, and you will meet the same end! TREMBLE BEFORE THE CHOSEN OF THE DRAGONS!" he shouts as his anima blazes to chase away the dark of the night, a mighty Dragon of Wood appearing in the sky above him, carrying a beautiful purple flower in its' jaws, and it descends among the Lintha as Tageru slaughters them. His heart is filled with rage, at all the atrocities he saw in the big Earth behemoth Rakatau, at the pain of the Nymph, at his comrades' pain and all those that fell before these evil monsters, and he lets it all out like never before, fighting almost in a frenzy.

Perhaps has a testament to her Element, Kiana is not so quick to attack or to move as Zeru and Tageru.  Though in truth she wanted to run right along side Zeru and join him as he crashed into the Lintha, her aspect was not nearly so nimble and agile on their native element, little less on the ever moving surface of the ocean.  So instead of running toward the battle, her mind worked quickly, ever vigilant eyes scanning the ships, the bodies, and the battle in general, working over time to determine who was winning, who was losing, why, and how victory could be seized in the quickest means possible.  First, though, she had to make sure the Dryad was secure.

It was her job, after all.

She turned and bowed to the Nymphs, as without their help they would have still been plumbing the depths of Rakatau!  "Thank you for your help.  However this battle ends, you've done everything you can to assure us victory."  She said, clasping her white-jade covered hands in front of her breast as she bowed, her black hair falling over her eyes with the motion, hair that would never grow longer than its current length.  She had sacrificed one aspect of herself, only to find another in the breastplate of her Father--a trade she would make a thousand times over, if she were faced with the decision once more.

Kiana turned and spotted the unusual rock ship, and with Sylpheel and her Nymphs, she climbed onto the Island Ship, taking the hand of one of the Jokun in order to hoist herself up and quickly make her way toward the bow of the ship, appraising their naval position as much as she could.  Though Kiana was not much of a sailor, she did have a potent understanding of naval battle.  "Please, take us toward the Dryad.  The Flagship of the Cobalt Alliance must not fall." Kiana besought the Jokun in their native tongue, pointing toward the Dryad, and toward 'her' crew, who was fighting without her.  They had some training under their belts, but Kiana did not want them fighting without her any more than they had to.

Provided the Jokun did as they asked, Kiana eagerly looked toward the Dryad.  "Hold fast!  I'm coming!"   She shouted to them.  One of her people shouted something in return, pointing madly toward Kiana.  Just then, the Earth Princess heard the scrapping of flesh on stone, and quickly turned to see what had caused the noise, and was dismayed to see three Lintha boarding the Island Ship from off the port bow.  All three were wielding blades, and were apparently hoping to win honor for their people by cutting off the reinforcements that the Dragon-Born were bringing to the fight.  She narrowed her eyes and quickly took flight toward them, her heavy white-jade boots completely supported by the earthen deck as she closed the distance between them.

The three Lintha had already drawn their swords, and as Kiana rushed toward the one in the middle, the three of them moved to strike the Earth Princess at once, hoping to overwhelm her, as her charge was a thing of offensive, and knew from their previous experiences that when a man charged, he was not thinking of his own safety, and thus was an eager target.  The Earth Princess was hardly an average combatant, and as their blades came down, so did her arms go up, first crossed in front of her chest before spreading out in a large, circular arc, catching the blades in the protective forearm of her Smashfirst.  Her rush suddenly stopped as she finished in a low forward stance, swinging her arms wide to deflect the blades before shooting those hands out in an unstoppable double palm strike into the chest of the third demonic sailor, right in his chest.  The creature was only able to utter a surprised couch as it was struck, and went flying off of the ship and into the depths, with his sternum all but crushed, and his lungs collapsed.

One down.  There was still two boarders left to deal with.

Standing her ground, Kiana faced the two as they circled her, shifting only to keep the both of them in her gaze as one came right at her, while the other attempted to flank her.  The first charged with an over hand strike with the large sword he carried, and she quickly reacted.  Taking a long step inside of his range, her left hand lashed out and struck his arm, causing the sword strike to swing wide.  In the same motion, she brought her closed fist soaring into the man's stomach, causing him to double over in pain at the sudden displacement of his digestive organs.  Her anima suddenly erupted around her fists once more as she heard the other Lintha come at her from behind.  Kiana took a step back, bringing her right elbow, which had just punched the Lintha in front of her, straight back into a crushing elbow strike, into the flanking Lintha's stomach, while her left hand snaked out and chopped the other's neck as he was still recoiling from the previous blow.  The poor demonic fool all but collapsed onto the deck, while Kiana followed through with the elbow, turning to face the last boarder as he stumbled back from her blow.  He growled in rage as she assumed that familiar low stance, and he charged at her out of desperation.  Kiana, tired of dealing with them, simply stepped to the side just as he swung, lashing out with a devastating thrust kick into his side, her boot unforgiving as he was flung off of the ship, and actually skipping once off of the water before sinking below the surface.

With the boarders dealt with, for now at least, she turned her attention back toward the Dryad.  They didn't have much time.

As the boats docked at the isle, Kareth promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into the ocean.  Cursing his weak constitution, he stumbled onto the island, relieved to be done with the high speed boat ride.   He recovered his wits quickly however and Kareth became very much aware of the fact this his anima still flared with it's strange light.  It only took him moments to decide a course of action.  Taking his Sorcery-Capturing Cord, he handed it to Lasuri.  “I believe your first mate will be able to take advantage of what’s inside.  Four Chosen should be enough to cover the Dryad.  I’ll go watch Zeru’s back.”  As much as he hated to admit it, Kareth’s confidence in the abilities of the others was only one of the reasons he wanted to help Zeru.  He didn’t wish to face the sorceress at the moment.

Kareth directed the isle towards the Marlena after the other land bound Terrestrials were dropped off on the Dryad.  Here he found several boarders trying to scale their way up the side of the ship, completely oblivious to the island approaching them… at least they were oblivious until several of them found themselves burning  and most of the others found themselves ground into the side of the ship.   With two more boarders on this side of the ship, Kareth drew as close as he could.   Suddenly, one of them pushed off the side of the Marlena and landed onto the isle, sneering at the engineer.  The demon spawn, with auhzian already in one hand, drew a knife with the other and attacked using both blades.  Kareth barely managed to deflect the massive blade with the piece of slag that used to be his short sword.  As his blade finally gave out under the stress of the assault, the Fire Aspect buried the muzzle of his cannon into his assailant’s arm and fired.   The cracking of bone could be heard of the sounds of the ocean and battle.  The Lintha boarder instantly dropped the auhzian as his arm ceased to function and he started backing towards the edge of the isle, holding the knife in front of himself as though it would defend him.  Once his retreating foe arrived at the edge, Kareth shot him square in the chest, causing him to fly far enough backwards to bounce off the Marlena’s hull and fall into the waves below.   The impact from the final cannon shot caused the would-be boarder to drop the knife which the Kareth was quick to retrieve.  It would do in a pinch.

The bracers on his arms started to glow blue as Kareth pushed his essence into them.  The light condensed into a rope which he used to haul himself up onto the deck as Zeru finished making short work of the group attacking the twins and Cinna.  He wasn’t able to beat the final boarder up to the deck but he did arrive before the bastard could join the fight against the crew of the Marelena.  Kareth was certain that Zeru could handle this one too, but none the less he sent his Elemental Bolt hurling at the scum.  The demon-blood burst into flames screaming in a most undignified manner.  Confident he had the attention of the Marlena’s crew, Kareth caught Zeru’s eye and asked cooly “Permission to come aboard, Captain?” before sliding his silver shades over his eyes.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:32, Thu 17 Sept 2009.

On the Black Marlena

The crew of the Marlena is in excellent spirits as Zeru comes running across the waves, up the hull and right through the protective shield of feathers to join in the defense. They cheer him on as he thrashes his first Lintha for the night, then takes the time to ask if they've missed him. "Very much sir!!" is the chorused reply from the twins, and Cinna adds, "Naturally!" beaming when Zeru plants a kiss on her blood streaked cheek.

"We've saved some for you," grins Antov, while one of the two Lintha he's fighting head off to take on Zeru, and summarily gets beaten down. The poor fellow has his neck crushed before he can so much as spit in anger at the chalice being beaten down and taken. Sunden teams up with Antov against the remaining Lintha near them. Antov's axe cleaves the demon-spawn's breastplate, while the lithe, mute acrobat tosses two throwing knives, one of them embedding into the Lintha's throat.

Three more Lintha remain between Cinna and the twins. Between the Captain's clinching chain, Cinna's nimble fencing style and the brothers' brute force combinations, they don't last long. More start clambering up the hull, but much fewer than before. Marlena laughs derisively at their feeble attempts to penetrate her barrier; her black wings swoop outward and fling several away, forcing the others to ascend with great difficulty.

On the Island Ship

Lacking Zeru's water mobility, Tageru, Kiana and Kareth climb aboard the child of Rakatau, joined by fleet-footed nymphs and stalwart jokun. At Kiana's order the island ship sails, or perhaps better to say swims toward the Spring Dryad.

Tageru's mighty Wood Dragon anima brightens the night, followed by the pure white flare of Kiana's anima, resembling so much the figure of Kiando gazing proudly down on his daughter. The two of them combine their efforts, whether inadvertently or not. The Lintha quickly learn the pain that a Dragon-blood trained in the Immaculate Arts can bring, as Tageru's unerringly accurate arrows pierce heads and impale foul hearts, and Kiana's white-blazing palm strikes, elbow slams and powerful kicks finish her opponents brutally.

The jokun form a living wall with their rock-hard bodies and shields, wielding broad chopping swords and axes against the Lintha's hooked weapons. The nymphs aim bows formed from mist and water, adding to Tageru's storm of arrows with arrows of unmelting ice. All join Queen Sylpheel in a grand chorus, singing to demoralize and distract the demonic pirates, the jokun creating a counterpoint with their deep, droning baritone.

On the Spring Dryad II

When the island ship reaches the Dryad, a ragged cheer goes up among the crewmembers. The morale boost sends several more Lintha tumbling into the water or down on the deck, clearing space for the Dragon-blood(s) to be helped aboard.

They are overjoyed to have the Earth Princess back among them, knowing her to be a fierce fighter despite her youth and stature. They welcome the deadly bow-shot of Tageru, whose green-glowing arrows so rarely misses a mark. They would welcome their Captain as well, should Lasuri arise to take the helm once more, and lead them to victory!

Meanwhile the crewmen hurl flaming pitch grenades down the edges to keep more Lintha from climbing in. They are tired, bruised and bloody. Among the fallen are Leeds and Csinta and Triste, good men who loved the sea, good fighters who gave their lives to serve the Dryad and its captain. Hazhain Sul grins widely, knowing each crewman's death shakes Jadira to the core.

Jadira is forced on the defensive, brandishing her plasma tongue repeater as she attempts to widen the distance between herself and the Lintha Father...

On the Marlena, again

The island ship moves on to the Black Marlena, easily dwarfing the courier ship in size but certainly not tenacity. Burning on his last reserves of Essence, Kareth still manages to put up a fight as the Lintha who fail to surmount the Marlena come to harry the island ship instead.

Kareth's Essence cannon roars, cracking bones and pulping insides. Even at half strength he literally torches his last opponent, impressing the hard-to-please Marlena. The spirit of the ship lifts her black wings to let Kareth in.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:19, Sat 19 Sept 2009.

It is with a swelling sense of pride that Lasuri watches the comrades he fought with fall into such organized positions, each one already knowing what role they wish to play in this grand battle. A part of him smiles at that - some might regard him as Captain, but this is the true face of the Cobalt Alliance. A group of men and women fighting for what they believe in, unrestrained by the concepts of nations or politics... Just pure heart, sweat and dedication.

Before Kareth leaves, Lasuri accepts the cord from him and nods to the engineer, regarding him with much respect in his eyes. As he takes the cord from Kareth, Lasuri pauses, a smile on his lips, as if he somehow understood something unspoken. But who knows? After all, Lasuri's mannerisms are sometimes hard to read...

"You do that, Mister Kareth. I'll bring this to Miss Thornbloom and let her know where it came from. Now go show those demonic fish-men that even if they're not truly savage beasts, they should still be afraid of fire." Clasping Kareth on his shoulder one more time, Lasuri then turns to Kiana.

"That Rock Ship's yours to command, Captain White-Fist." Lasuri quips, saluting her with the tip of his Wavecleaver. "I'll be going to help Miss Thornbloom. We'll meet back on the Dryad!" Perhaps it's a testament to how much faith and trust the Captain has in her - at no point does it seem doubtful to him that Kiana will reach the Dryad, no matter what it takes. With that, Lasuri follows Zeru's example, except he dives in the water like a fish and swims towards the boat at an amazing speed. [Private to Storyteller: Activating Deck-Striding before stepping onto the ship.]

***

On the deck of the Dryad, where the battle rages at its fiercest, two Lintha soldiers sidestep quickly to avoid attack by Alliance marines. Using the ship's railing to regain their balance, the limber attackers prepare to delve right back into the melee... Except they never truly get to. As they are about to jump, something pulls their bodies backwards, the weight flipping them over the railing and sending them straight into the waters below...

... And from the same spot the Sea Drake emerges, shaking some water off his drenched clothes and saluting the Alliance mates with his Wavecleaver. "Damn useful as climbing tools, those Lintha. It's the webbed limbs and fins and stuff! They make such great climbing holds!"

Winking to his crew, the Captain moves in, leading them into a charge meant to break the stalemate and bringing him closer to Jadira's position. Two Lintha fall to his blade as he approaches. A third manages to step in at very close range, getting into a clinch battle with the the captain and struggling to overpower him. Looking straight into the Lintha's eyes, Lasuri suddenly lets go of his Wavecleaver, pick a dagger from his opponent's belt, and quickly stabs it through his foot, effectively nailing him to the deck. Quickly, the captain picks his weapon back once the creature tries to grab its injured foot, kicking the dagger deeper in to add insult to injury. With a wink to his unwilling 'guest', Lasuri then rushes onwards, meaning to reach the Lintha Father.

Swinging and dashing across the ship, sometimes walking across vertical masts and boards to reach his goal. With one last, defiant leap, he finally reaches Jadira's side, brushing her with his body as he interposes himself between the Lintha Father and the First Mate, giving a strong nod to Donnegal and the rest of his crew as he does so. "Miss Thornbloom, you might just be the best homekeeper ever. I go out for only a little bit and you transform a boring mooring into the best party in recent history." He smiles at her, letting his presence reassure her weariness and worry. "I'll take it from here, if you don't mind."

Turning to the Lintha Father, Lasuri raises an eyebrow, raising his sword in a defensive stance. "You won't mind either, won't you? But then, I've got your boss right here in my hand..." He shows the Chalice to his opponent, making certain the other Lintha see it as well. "Yeah, we've pretty much made your boss break down and cry like a schoolgirl. So... I'm pretty much your boss' boss now, which means I'm the boss of you, right? Mind if I test that?"

Moving sideways, in a stance that shows his intent on dueling the Father one-on-one, Lasuri suddenly lunges, widening his eyes. "Lasuri says... Roll on the ground!" He remains in this stance for a moment, then shakes his head. "Yeah, didn't think it'd be that easy. So... Let's do this the hard way. The proper way."

The Captain smiles widely, getting into a proper fighting stance. "You want your glorified kiddy juice glass, you're gonna have to duel me for it."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Fri 18 Sept 2009.

"Of Course" Zeru says as the wings raise. Kareth sees him with a grin, and his foot planted on the neck of a lintha proving that his mind is the same as that of his ship.

One rather unlucky Lintha manages to sneak aboard while Marlena while her wings are raised to allow Kareth access. His eyes wide with excitement Zeru charges forward. The creature has both a sword and a knife and looks like he knows how to use them. Zeru's whirling chain should be enough to dissuade him, but all it does is make him hesitate. That hesitation is the only agreement Zeru needs. Zeru spins into the creatures guard as it tries to slash. His blue green hair whips across the Lintha's face as he spins and his bracer blocks the slash. His spin is also accentuated by an elbow that digs deeply into the creatures side. Although his body stops his chain continues around and wraps the two together pinning the Lintha's arms to its own sides as Zeru pummels it with his elbows. When he unhooks himself from the chain the creature falls to the ground, as it was only supported by the chain for the last few strikes. He picks the lintha up by the lapels and throws him down the side of the ship with his full force. As it collides with another. He calls down to the Lintha who are climbing. "If you don't give up now each and every one of you will look like him" He calls down.

Kiana paused for the slightest moment as Lasuri saluted her, appointing her Captain of the Rock Ship.  At first, she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly.  Her, a captain?  It seemed an unlikely thing to hear in the midst of battle, but her ears were especially sharp, and she did not doubt them.  Her next thought was that perhaps Lasuri was simply giving a witty quip, all caught up in the moment--but again, that seemed very unlikely.  Lasuri was immaculate with his words, Kiana had learned, and she had yet to know him to mince words.  With Lasuri, you always knew where you stood because the man would tell you, and his words always meant exactly what he wanted them to.  That meant...that meant there was only one viable conclusion left.  She had just been the victim of a field promotion.

The hesitation was only a moment, her thoughts quick and precise.  She gave a curt nod and salute to the Captain as he dove off the Rock Ship.  "Aye aye Captain."  She said, turning to look at the Ship with completely different eyes.  This was no longer a simple barge to get her to the Dryad--it was a vessel.  Her vessel, at least temporarily.  Kiana was no fool--this ship was part of Rakatau, and no doubt loaned only for the duration of the battle.  She wouldn't indulge in the idea of being a Captain, not for any extended period of time.  Lasuri was simply using every thing he could to win this battle.  He knew Kiana had a great military mind, and he wanted to use every resource at his disposal.  And while Kiana's life certainly hadn't made her into a good leader, it had done wonders to forge her into a fine tactician.

She looked at the Nymphs and the Jokun that made up the 'crew' of the Spirit Ship, and then looked over her shoulder to survey the damage altogether, at least from her vantage point.  Captain or not, she had made a promise to her men on the Dryad, and still had every intention of joining them--but she would not leave this crew of allies to simply fire arrows and sing without real purpose.  Kiana jumped up to to bow of the ship, taking the battle in before she turned to address the spirits and elementals she had found under her command--or, as much as they would allow themselves to be.  But the Dragon-Blooded had proven themselves champions of the Seven-Day Isle...surely they would aid them in this dire time of need.

"You are brave without measure to join us in this battle, and as a Captain for the Cobalt Alliance, I cannot thank you enough."  She said in Old Realm, looking over them as the rattle of battle shook across the waves, her black hair shuddering from the high winds, covering one eye briefly as she spoke to them.  Without turning her head, she pointed to the Flagship, where the Lintha sorceress remained, casting her spells and helping their cause with devastating effects, and no doubt a big lynch pin to their battle strategy.

"This is the only ship unaccounted for in this battle, without counter measures to meet it.  That Sorceress is potent, and they protect her rightfully.  I ask that you flank their ship, stay out of range of their cannons and concentrate your arrows and voice at their crew, and her specifically.  I think she is also a priestess for their believes--if we take her down, it will strike a blow against their morale that they will not swiftly recover from."  Kiana turned her slate-gray eyes towards Queen Sylpheel, her face craved of determination.  "You know your people better than I do, your Majesty, but I believe them more than capable of this task, and they will follow you moreso than I.  Will you honor the Cobalt Alliance with this request?"  Kiana was sure she would, as the Queen had already shown a want to take the Lintha down.  This would merely focus their attention to a surgical strike that was well needed.  "Your actions will ensure victory for this battle--For Rakatau!"  She finished, pumping her fist in the air and, hopefully, energizing them for the task upon them.  At that same moment, the Island Ship was close to the Dryad, and Kiana jumped from the bow and, after a bit of climbing, clasped the hand of one of her waiting crew, and was pulled aboard.  She quickly batted away two Lintha with glowing white fists, her namesake, before she found her people--or, sadly, what was left of them. "To me, Defenders!"  She shouted, quickly followed by "How do we stand?", once they were close enough to hear her.

She heard the Captain's request for a duel, and couldn't help but smile.  The Captain was...crazy, but it certainly seemed oddly fitting.  And Kiana highly doubted the Lintha would honor such a thing...in which case, their Caster was going to find a nice surprise very, very shortly.

On the Spring Dryad II

Thirty-some voices greet the Dryad captain between their furious sword-and-axe exchanges, hurling of grenades and even bare knuckles at their foes. "Captain Lasuri!" "Thank the gods!" "We've held the fort for you!" "The Cobalt Alliance prevails!"

He can feel the spirit of the ship greeting him silently as well; she whispers her relief to his ears, and sorrow at the losses suffered from the crew. There is an undercurrent of anger and indignance as well, for the Dryad is unhappy at the scourge of Lintha blighting her vessel. The Lintha feel this disapproval as well, as their weapons grow increasingly heavy, their Essence and even willpower gradually drained. They are in her domain now, and they will not easily triumph.

Jadira nearly sags in relief when Lasuri reaches her, though she forces a smile for her beloved. She is not unscathed. A shallow wound across her arm, and a deeper one on her side that looks burnt and infected, as if touched by a vitriolic blade. She withdraws and snatches up her fallen daiklave, sheathing it in favor of her trusty bow. "Give 'em the Dragons' wrath, Las!"

Hazhain Sul, of course, is far from amused. Clad in armor of deep behemoth scales and tainted chain mesh, the Lintha Father is at least seven feet tall, his body long and lean with clawed hands and feet. His face is angular, the chin nearly a point, and his eyes are a strange dark color that drains the light. He wields two auhzian swords, forged by an infernal craftmaster; both are a forbidding black lead color, dripping with acid and surrounded by acrid fumes.

He snorts loudly at the "Lasuri Says" attempt, glaring pitilessly at his opponent to be. "So, the Captain of the Alliance. Whatever trick that keeps the chalice at bay will not avail you. Your blood is feeble and you will be bested!" Hazhain signals to his men with his twin blades, infernal Essence slithering across his skin. "Brothers and sisters, children and cousins, this man holds our greatest of treasures. Above ALL other duties, it must be reclaimed!!"

On the island ship

The elementals on the island ship listen keenly to Kiana's tactical advice. They do not protest or correct her, but rather nod their assent as one, the jokun pressing fist to their hearts, the nymphs bowing their heads as their eyes glitter with determination. They have all seen Melusine's plight.

Queen Sylpheel nods sharply and officially gives the order on Kiana's behalf. "Kiana White-Fist speaks true. Let us heed her request. We sing for Melusine and Rakatau, we sing for the Cobalt Alliance, we sing for all Creation against the spawn of Malfeas! The Lintha are a blight upon Creation, their weapons and Essence an affront to the five true Elements. To be asked to take such a pivotal part in the battle is an honor, not a chore!"

The Song of Earth and Water arises anew, nymphs and jokun keeping up a strident chant while Kiana leaps aboard. Water-blessed arrows pierce Lintha attackers, agonizingly poisonous to their demonic flesh. The crew of the Kri Kiamo answer with an arrow volley of their own, and the jokun step in with mighty shield and sword to protect their gentler allies. Still, a few nymphs' throats are stilled. A few jokun crumble to dust, sacrificing themselves for victory.

Ahead of them, the Lintha sorceress flickers with emerald fire webbed with tendrils of deep black, summoning the Flight of the Raptor while her pet tomescu flicks arrow after arrow away. But the nymph and jokun choir soon works its magic upon the simple-minded demon -- it shrieks and convulses, offended to distraction by their beautiful Song!

The sorceress, suddenly vulnerable, groans as one arrow of perfect ice strikes her shoulder, another her thigh. She struggles to keep hold of her infernal spell, but goes down in a rain of bowshot instead, her Essence fizzling uselessly.

On the Dryad, again

"Miss Kiana!" Saari and Duarte reach Kiana first, followed by another half-dozen or so, gathering close to her. The others are either... indisposed, or too caught up in one-on-one combat. However, several jokun have boarded with her, insisting on joining her 'honor guard'.

Saari's voice is weary, answering Kiana's question. "Overall we've lost up to a fourth of our number. Maybe more. That damned Wavecrest captain, he was lax at sending us support!" And Kiana can already see for herself - the Falchion has since pulled back from the Dryad, instead taking on one of the lesser enemy ships, whose crew they outnumber easily. There is still a small contingent of Wavecrest Navy fighters on the Dryad, but they are the minority.

There's not much time to think about that, though. Now that Hazhain Sul has called out Lasuri as a primary target, the Captain is quickly surrounded. The Lintha Father himself leads the attack, pitting Lasuri against a dishonorable five against one. The surrounding Lintha restrict his movement, hemming him into a smaller and smaller space while Hazhain's black lead blades press the offense relentlessly - if not to kill him directly, then to slice the Chalice from his body.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:00, Tue 22 Sept 2009.

The changing battlefield

Despite the desperate battle continuing to rage on the Dryad, the other ships are faring well against the remaining Lintha vessels.

The Kri Kiamo falters against the songs and arrows of the island ship, powered by the cooperation of nymph and jokun.

Zeru, Kareth and the Marlena face a smaller Lintha ship, making short work of the remaining boarders. The Hirdu's Ambition add to their efforts with ballistae and implosion bow, closing the distance to help finish their common enemy off.

The Wavecrest ship decimates the other small Lintha vessel, sinking it with cannon fire while the Navy soldiers take on the last demon-spawn still clinging to the Falchion's hull.

All that remains now is cleanup - and the fight for the Chalice.

---

OOC: Will try to make the end short and sweet, after Lasuri posts again. We've been battling long enough. :)

"Yeah, I know, I've heard that one before. You're weak and powerless, bow before the superior bloodline, my dad is more demonic than yours, blah blah. If you're so convinced that your ways will lead to your triumph, then by all means, you've got the chance to prove it, right here and now. Put your steel where your mouth is."

Lasuri's call is meant to imbalance and anger the Lintha father, but there is no denying the importance of the Chalice for him and his troops - calling to honor and pride will simply not work in this situation. As soon as he finds himself surrounded, the Captain realizes that fact; there will be no fair fight as far as his opponent is concerned, only what is necessary to gain victory.

And thus, it comes as no surprise when Lasuri faces fives opponents rather than the one. Quickly, the Captain steps backwards, using his mobility to keep himself ahead in the fight - but it becomes clear that the Lintha's desire to get what they are seeking make them all the more dangerous opponents. It is all Lasuri can do to keep them at bay and keep himself from being surrounded... But the Captain is not beaten yet. One of his strongest traits, after all, is his power of adaptation, rolling with a given situation to get the results he needs - and that is precisely what Lasuri does.

Without his off-hand weapon, Lasuri cannot use his usual strategies, and thus has to change his fighting style completely. Tucking the Chalice behind his back, he presents his side to the opponent in the manner of the eastern duelists he has encountered in the past, using his his ability to walk on his ship at impossible angles to keep the Lintha on their toes. And yet, despite these innovations, the best Lasuri can do in this situation is keeping the stalemate...

... Until a detachment of his crew manages to break through, their shouts and yells forcing the Lintha besieging the Captain to turn their attention to them. With axe, swords and shields, the crew bravely and valiantly rushes forward, transforming what should have been a duel into an all-out brawl. The crew's intention is courageous, and yet simple in its goal: keep the Lintha roped so Lasuri can fight Hazhain Sul as intended. Lunging towards his adversary, Lasuri takes footing on the railing of the ship, jumping over the enemy captain and onto a 'clear' portion of the deck, so they can have their duel.

"Come get what you want." Lasuri quips, getting into stance once again.

And thus the fight between the two men, and their two clashing ideals, finally takes hold. Against the might of the twin auzhian swords, Lasuri finds himself at a disadvantage... A weakness he makes up for with inventiveness and trickery. At two different moments, he puts one of the ship's masts between himself and his opponent, using his intimate knowledge of the ship to move precisely where the stout wood would hinder Hazhain Sul's attacks. Several times, Lasuri pulls out the Chalice from behind his back, pretending to toss it at his opponent or drop it overboard, causing the Lintha father to get even more enraged... And to drop his guard momentarily, which Lasuri uses to gain an edge in the fight.

As the fight gains in ferocity, the two duelists both make marks on one another - Lasuri slashing the opponents's arms, ribs and left cheek, while Hazhain Sul scores a few arm and chest hits, each of them leaving an acidic mark each time it strikes the sea drake's skin. A vicious strike against the Alliance Captain's ribs causes him to fall backwards and stumble, almost losing his balance in the process, while Hazhain Sul lets out a cry of victory, pouncing in to claim the kill and the prize...

But despite the accumulated wounds and increased fatigue, the Sea Drake is not yet broken. Standing limply, he waits for his opponent to make his all-out attack, for just the right gap in the opponent's defense... And then, with a roar from his Leviathan's anima, Lasuri pushes forward in one final, desperate strike. His body suddenly taut with strength and agility, he rushes towards the Lintha father... And tosses the Chalice into the air, above their heads. Using the distraction as his chance, the Sea Drake quickly draws his hand axe, shifting his fighting style mid-dash, and lowering his body close to the deck. Powerfully, he lunges and whips both weapons at his opponents arms, disarming one of the swords with a powerful slash across the wrist, and causing the other to drop with an axe strike that almost severs the Lintha's arm at the elbow.

Hazhain Sul's second sword has not yet hit the ground when Lasuri hangs his axe to his belt once more, catching the Chalice flawlessly before it falls to the ground and putting his Daiklave to the Lintha's neck.

"This fight his over. You've spilled enough blood." Lasuri says, all mirth and mocking chime gone from his voice, leaving only intensity and seriousness. Wounded and battered, the Sea Drake nonetheless stands triumphant, holding the Chalice in one hand and the sword that holds Hazhain Sul's life in the other. "You and your men are beaten, you realize that by now. Just like I hold your precious Lord in my hand, your life - and that of your line - is mine now. I could kill you right here and there. But instead, here's what I offer."

"Call your dirty crew together and leave with your tail between your legs. Tell the other Lintha of what happens to anyone who messes with the Cobalt Alliance. Tell them of your complete and utmost failure, and maybe they'll be merciful on you, who knows. At this point, I don't care what they do to you."

"You can just ignore that if you want, too. If so, I'll just spill your dirty blood right on the deck of my ship and have my men end your bloodline right here on this day. So make your choice, and make it fast."

To his credit, Hazhain Sul fought his best. Though of a minor Lintha family, he was far from a slouch. He'd had visions for the future of his bloodline. He thought to revive what his sept leader could not. Grandmother Karatull was a belligerent woman, overly prideful and scathing, so much so that she was blind and uncaring of the changing tides of the world, and the increasingly negative opinion of the Dara-Said among the Family.

With the Blood Chalice of Kimbery he yearned to revive their blood. To make the Dara-Said a contender in the power struggles of the Lintha, in the West, in all Creation!

As he faced Lasuri in close combat for the first and last time, he poured that long-coveted desire into every double-bladed strike, filled with a searing wrath toward the impertinent young Dragon-blood who dared claim this incredibly priceless treasure for himself. How could he possibly understand the power that lurked in the Chalice, just waiting to taste a Lintha's willingly sacrificed blood?! He urged the Lintha warriors to prevail against the Alliance's useless, bleating herd of mortals. Beat them down, tear them apart, claim the chalice for the glory of Dara-Said!

Hazhain's ambition made him careless. He saw the object of his desire and the cursed dragon-spawn was dangling it at him, carelessly handling it like it were some common cup! Laughing at him, mocking him! More and more his attacks became rage-filled hacking, inaccurate but brutal. He would flay the Captain of the Alliance, he would cut him up so his entrails were open to the air and let him die that way, stinking and slow, eaten up by seagulls and vermin!!

But it was not meant to be. For Lasuri understood Hazhain Sul's weakness and exploited it for all it was worth.

Now Hazhain kneels, helpless and disarmed, a wavecleaver at his throat. Defeated. Even so, the Lintha Father neither grovels nor hangs his head in shame. His dark, angry gaze meets the cool blue of the Dragon-blood Captain, and he spits a mix of blood and saliva on the deck. "I fled once, and I will not again, spawn of Danaa'd," and he says the name like a curse, like it burns his tongue to speak it. "We are done here. I am disgraced, and my children will die with me. But while you hold that Chalice, the Lintha will pursue you to the ends of the earth. I hope it is one of my siblings who buries her blade in your skull."

As the Lintha makes his final speech, Lasuri nods slowly, his expression deathly serious and focused. He does not waver, does not fall back on any more tricks. This time, it is Captain against Captain, in a meeting of wills rather than steel or fists. When the last word is spoken, the Sea Drake lowers his head, his resolve unwavering.

"I don't know what the future holds. To be quite honest, your children have more than the right to challenge me as of now. But I'll meet each challenge evenly, with the full weight of my conviction and the support of the Alliance. If I die, then they'll carry on the fight. As long as one of us remains, the battle will go on."

"And so it's settled. You choose to take that path courageously, so I'll spare you the humiliation and the pain. You and I both clashed in our beliefs and our desires, but I respect your dedication to your ideals, Captain Hazhain Sul of the Lintha. By Law of the Fickle Sea, you die here as a true Mariner and Seafarer, your honor intact. Your weapons will be reduced to cinders and their ashes returned to the Mother Sea, completing the cycle of life and death."

"May the waves give you rest, Hazhain Sul."

There is a pause then, as Lasuri looks at condemned man. He nods, perhaps a shard of understanding imperceptibly between the two captains. And then... The flash of steel comes, a single, clean stroke. And with that, the Lintha father's head is freed from its shoulders, falling down with a heavy thunk.

Another moment passes, and finally Lasuri straightens, his face bloodied and his stance wavering, Wavecleaver in one hand and the accursed Chalice in the other. His expression tightens then, and he thrusts his sword to the heavens, letting out a bellow that all ships in the area would hear.

"Though blood and tears, and death and fear, the Alliance never falls!"

When the grisly deed is done, and the life fades from Hazhain's eyes, so do the Lintha under his command follow him in death. Auhzian blades are withdrawn, plunged willingly into beating demon-spawn hearts until they are stilled.

One by one the Lintha fall dead, following their Father rather than endure capture and disgrace.

Hazhain Sul's demon-ship, the Kri Kiamo, lets out a wail of rage and despair and finally dematerializes, taking the body of the sorceress and the rest of the crew with it. It departs from the area until neither Tageru nor Kiana's spirit-sight can see any sign of it.

What remains of the Lintha fleet is a single courier ship, the Hirdu's Grace, reclaimed by her rightful owner, Loukan Hirdu. Decks are strewn with bodies, wounded and dead, Lintha and human. The night air smells of blood and salt. Those who lived through the battle with the Lintha it are incredibly tired, but incredibly amazed to be alive.

In time, their voices rise to join Lasuri's, a chorus of voices from the Dryad, Marlena, Falchion, Ambition and the island ship, recently born but unbaptized. They are united now in victory... and some, in grief, for it was a battle hard-won.

---

OOC: Total crew losses
Spring Dryad II: 15 dead out of 40
Black Marlena: 0 dead out of 5 (luck is with them!)
Falchion: 20 dead out of 100
Hirdu's Ambition: 4 dead out of 12
Island Ship: 6 dead out of 30
Almost everyone is wounded, many severely and needing weeks of rest.

Most equipment looted from the Lintha corpses will be suitable to upgrade the remaining Dryad and Marlena crew. But Hazhain's equipment is Malfean-forged and would be better off disposed of.

Post reactions here if you like, but there will be an 'aftermath' thread soon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:18, Wed 23 Sept 2009.

Kiana had been more than happy to join the brawl, quickly hashing with her crew the specifics of the brawl, at least to the point that they could control.  The main focus of a brawl was, of course, to be chaotic, and while that was certainly hard to control, chaos was hardly difficult to create.  With orders to attack the Lintha two on one, and to switch targets as often as possible to keep them off balance, Kiana joined them as they rushed to save the Captain from the uneven odds--and to give him the cover he needed to face the Lintha captain in an honorable match.

White Jade met with demonic flesh as Kiana tore into them, rushing at the head of the crew in order to drive them to fight harder, and to know that she was with them completely.  Chests caved and jaws broke, arms shattered with vicious blows while blades shattered against her breastplate--many Lintha went flying over board from devastating kicks, while others still were nearly planted into the deck with equal part hammer-blows and elbows.  Perhaps most impressive of all, Kiana's anima burnt brightly as she fought, the after image of Kiando, almost god-like in majesty and size, shadowed her every blow, though showing contrast with each one, showing his own individual nuances of the style that he himself crafted from the studies of Pasiap.

The Lintha fought bravely during the entire battle, but it ended very suddenly as Lasuri bested the enemy Captain.  Then it was only a matter of words before a sacred trust was enacted--and Hazhain was no more.  The Lintha that had just recently been fighting with all their might suddenly gave up hope, and Kiana, though willing to destroy every one of them in the name of the Alliance, was shocked to see each and every one of them take their own lives.  She even rushed forward to stop one of them from slitting his own throat, but was only just short of preventing it, and watched helpless as they died on the deck of the Dryad.

She joined the cheers with the others, but it was only a brief moment of celebration.  Kiana, the Princess of the Earth, had escaped the battle completely unscathed, and for that there was a price to pay--she was healthy, and so she would be quick to take care of the wounded.  Motioning for those of her crew that were able, those not under her direct command and the Jokun who considered themselves her 'honor guard', she gave quick orders.  "Battle well fought, my friends, but now we have to tend to our wounded.  Get those who cannot move into sick bay, and do your best to group like wounds with like.  Ignore the dead for now...we have to do what we can to prevent more of our number from joining those who sacrificed themselves for the Alliance."  She then quickly reiterated the orders to the Jokun, in Old Realm, before pulling Saari aside.  "Go to medical bay and acquire one of the emergency kits, and bring it back quickly.  Some of our people won't make it to the sick bay, and I'll need your steady hands to assist me.  Do you have any knowledge of medicine, Saari?"  Kiana asked, looking down at her jade covered hands.  She clenched them together in tight fists, the aura around them burning all the more brightly before she opened her palms, and the gauntlets simply faded from existence.  "Never mind, it doesn't matter--you are one of mine, so I'm sure you will learn quickly."  She said with a faint, tired smile.

The crew of the Marlena and Kareth manage to wipe out the rest of the Lintha boarders. Not too few leaving the decks bloodied or dead. The Marlena's wings managed to protect her crew from even the most stubborn Pirates. She guards her crew fiercely and they fight just as fiercely to rid her of the enemy.

As the last boarder falls the crew gathers around the Marlena's main mast to reunite fully and to celebrate. Antov supports Sunden, both covered in the demon tainted blood of the Lintha as they hobble to the Mast. The Marlena's wings spread wide in victory. No one noticed the lone Lintha creep up onto the decks. As Lucky Coral makes her way onto the deck to meet her master she catches wind of the creature. Turning her head to find the tasty morsel she lets out a high pitched mewl. Zeru's head snaps to the side to see the new foe.

The Lintha seemed to be a twisted version of Zeru himself. He was lithe, like the young captain,  and he sported both a cocky grin and a dire chain. But both his grin and chain are twisted from the warm and pure forms of Zeru's. His wicked grin sports fangs, and his rusty chain sports them as well, it appeared to be dripping something vile onto the deck. With practiced ease he spins the chain and sends if forth looking to end the wounded Sunden's life. Zeru's hand flicks his chain, but it doesn't move fast enough. The chain bears down on his comrade,  until Antov bats it to the side with his axe. He throws Sunden back into the group costing Zeru several more seconds as the other side of the chain whirls around to wrap the sailor up. He's pulled down into a puddle of blood as the chain leaves him filled with punctures and gashes. Zeru hands Sunden to the twins and kicks the spiked head of the dire chain in mid fall towards Antov's unconscious form.

With his chain in hand Zeru glares hatefully at the creature that would attack a wounded man after a battle has been won. Their chains spin mirrored of one another. The beautiful blue of Tempest against the black and red of the rusty metal. The chains collide in midair in a dastardly dance of skill. But Zeru's not out to just win, he's out to destroy this demon that has harmed his crew, and Tempest has skills beyond those of any normal chain. Zeru puposefully misses a parry with the chain and bats the spike ball into the deck with his bracer. He simultaneously steps on the chain as he whirls the Weighted jade end of Tempest towards the bastard. With a turn of his body and a genius tug, the ball hits the Lintha on the back of his head, knocking him forward as Zeru charges forward. His legs leave the ground as Zeru's knee collides with the Lintha chin knocking something loose. In midflight he brings the chain over his head in a two handed smash into the Lintha's spine. Bones crack as Zeru lands sliding on his feet. His heels touch with the rail of the Marlena and he runs forward once more. He kicks hard upwards into the downed lintha's side, with enough force to get him airborne. Tempest lashes around his leg and Zeru spins, finally releasing the Lintha off of the ship and over the bowsprit, leaving the final blow for the Marlena herself even in spirit.

Zeru comes back to himself when he hears Cinna's voice call to him. "He- he's alive.

[Private to Storyteller: I figure you can take it from there tomorrow :)]

Jadira, seeing the battle is over and the Lintha either routed, killed or dead by their own hand, exhales an immense sigh of relief. She hardly even has the energy to shout with victory, instead going to her crew to offer moral support. Here and there she pats an arm or a back, congratulating on a job well done. She quickly kneels to each that died, and gently shuts their eyes, murmuring a seaman's prayer.

When she straightens, she rallies her remaining men. "If you've the strength, your first priority is to help the others arrange the wounded. The dead will be given their respects in due time." Her side wound still burns with agony, but she pays it hardly any mind. The other crewmen are more fragile than her, and she'd be damned to Malfeas herself if she let any others die.

Too many have died already. It hurts just to think about.

For a moment Jadira's eyes just linger on Lasuri; the realization dawns of how relieved she is that he is safe, with that demon leader headless at his feet. Blinking back sudden tears, Jadira goes to join Kiana before her legs just cave in, and forces a weary smile. "Thank the Dragons you all made it back alive. Let's get to work."

The brief expression of camaraderie soon fades, as she, Kiana, Saari and a few others from the archer and defender teams work at sorting the wounded in groups. Even those that are healthy enough to carry their heavily wounded comrades have minor wounds at best. The prevalent wounds are jagged sword cuts, embedded arrows and acid burns, the worst of them with several wounds at once. One man has his arm cut off, the stump poorly tended to; another an eye gouged out by a Lintha's hooked sword. [Private to Kiana White-Fist: I should add that Jadira herself looks pretty wounded, she's taken maybe 4 lethal damage, and her worst wound is still acidic and needs washing and binding. But she's being stubborn and helping others before herself. :)]

Before Jadira plunges into the medical work in earnest, she turns to one of her people. "Amon, can you signal the Marlena to approach? I think one of Zeru's men was hurt badly, and we've better facilities here." Time is of the essence, and Jadira doesn't let herself slow down or rest for an instant.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:57, Wed 23 Sept 2009.

Kareth allowed himself a moment to relax and gather his thoughts once the victory roar went up.  But as he turned around, he realized how fool hearty it was for him to do that.  He had managed to get himself located on the other side of the boat and turned to see the demon-spawn attack Antov.  The man was wounded before he could so much as shout a warning.  He immediately leveled his cannon at the demon-spawn but couldn't get get a clear shot on the scum.  Kareth was forced to lower his weapon, even as the Marlena's captain finished the job.  As he rushed over, he quickly realized the wound was serious enough to where he would be of no assistance.  He whispered words into the wind to be taken to the Dryad.  Even as he spoke his report, dread filled his heart for what was coming.  He simply walked away from the fallen man.  The others there would be able to care for him better and Kareth's flaring anima filled with spectral faces would only make matters worse.  He went and stood on the bow with his head lowered as the wind made his equally black cloak and hair dance uncontrollably in the wind.   The effect was not that of a raging bonfire, but that of a flickering candle causing shadows to dance.  Still, his anima would serve as beacon enough for the Dryad.  Here Kareth maintained his silent vigil, wrapped in his own thoughts.

On the Black Marlena

The Lintha that Zeru thrashed will remember the agony into his next life, having tasted his wrath when protecting one of his own. Zeru feels Marlena's immense satisfaction when the broken body of that last stubborn demon-spawn falls overboard, through her arching wings, and into the deep drink.

The brothers lay Antov out as comfortably as they can on the deck, while Cinna frets over them both. Especially Antov, whom in protecting Sunden very nearly lost his own life. He remains unconscious, blood pooling from the jagged chain wounds. Cinna looks panicked, having caught Zeru's attention. "He's breathing but it's shallow. We have to stop all this bleeding!"

As she tears strips from her tunic and awkwardly attempts to bind Antov's wounds, Zeru sees a flare signal from the Dryad. Marlena, sensing the urgency of the situation, doesn't even complain once. She moves the ship by her own power, while the crew hopes and prays for Antov to stabilize.

The eerie flames of Kareth's anima light up the night, answering the signal from Amon -- and illuminating, for those who care to notice, a trace of darkness that no normal Dragon-blood ought to have.

On the Spring Dryad II

Once the report is received, the Dryad quickly prepares to receive the wounded from the Marlena, immediately giving priority to the critically wounded Antov.

During the process of treating the injured, Saari proves to be an immense aid to Kiana. "I know some first aid, at least, enough that I can bind a wound, maybe set a bone. It's served me and the crew well in the past." She isn't quite as well trained as either Kiana or Jadira, but she is careful and attentive enough that her efforts don't just get in the way. "I couldn't do anything about surgery or strange diseases though. And... I don't even know what to make of this green acid other than that touching it is very, very bad."

Fortunately, between Jadira, Kiana and Tageru, the Dryad has plenty of medical expertise to go around. With the additional advantage of Tageru's Wound Mending Needles, the remaining wounded brought to the Dryad pass the threshold where survival is uncertain. Many of them will remain scarred by this battle for life, and an unlucky few have even lost body parts. But as mortals who have survived a battle with the Lintha, though, these men and women will wear these scars as badges of honor. [Private to Kiana White-Fist: Weeellll... since you'll more or less have the entire night to do this, I don't think we need to complicate things with Medicine rolls. Up to you if you want to post anything more concerning the medical treatment. :)]

---

OOC: I will wait another day or two for more reactions, then close this thread. The epilogue should open up by Friday at the very latest!
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:22, Fri 25 Sept 2009.

Tageru helps the wounded as much as he can, and tests the powers of his new satchel. They are beyond amazing, restoring those too wounded to normally have any chance of survival and even healing damaged or amputated body parts. Those who insist on keeping their scars Tageru indulges, even though he does not see it that way...

He even tries his artifact on the wounded Nymph, trying to relieve the poor blinded creature of her pain. Her Nymph comrades bring her to the ex monk and he places the bandage from the satchel over her eyes, engulfing her in a brilliant golden and green glow.

Finally, after it is all over, the tired Tageru retreats to his quarters and sits down to meditate and pray. Finally, the battle was over, and all the horrors of it are now in the past. A great evil was stopped, the battle won, and a service to all of Creation done. It was at a great price, certainly, for not even Tageru's mighty healing artifact could revive the dead, and there have been too many that died in the battle, but even such a Pyrrhic victory was to be celebrated. Praying to the Dragons and thanking them for saving him and his allies in their time of need, remembering the horrible pain in the caves when the spell-created acid wave covered them all, he slowly falls asleep, his body and mind healing slowly from the pain...

Lasuri is just as relieved to see that Jadira and the crew are all right - some of them, anyways. His relief comes with the heaviness of loss, however - the truth and realization that even though victory was finally granted to them, it came at such a heavy price for some. It had happened before, of course, but the Captain never truly settled into it - setting a course that led to the death of people under him was something he would never learn to gloss over.

His first thought is to help Jadira with the post-battle maneuvers and the repairs and treatment that would be now needed. Shouting some orders for the crew to help their brethren - not that he has to tell Alliance men about such a thing. The Captain does his best to organize the effort, despite his own weariness and wounds, seeing it as a necessity for him to be a model for his crew, and be a pillar of stability so they may continue to advance.

His task bring him close to Jadira again, and he starts to shake his head at her demeanor. Tearing a band from the bottom of his cut, already ruined shirt, Lasuri starts to work at binding one of the First Mate's wounds, wrapping the piece of fabric without waiting for acquiescence from her. Some things never change, do they? You'll work yourself until you pass out, and even then, you'll find something to lean against so you can work while in a daze." He smiles to her, but she can probably see the worry in his eyes.

"Can someone who knows something about medical treatment and has a second to spare come to fix Miss Thornbloom here? If she loses a limb she'll just use her other ones without flinching, so I'd rather get an outside opinion not her own about her condition." Smiling at the first examination and the way she cannot weasel out of this one - Captain's orders, after all - Lasuri gets back to his feet, but not before touching the first mate's cheek softly with a gloved hand.

Staring back at the other ships, Lasuri let out a long, drawn out sigh... They have been shaken, but they will pull through.

Once again, the Alliance lives on.

Kiana was a fine medical mind, an anomaly given her martial prowess--few practitioners of the Martial Arts put so much time and effort into healing damage, as opposed to causing it.  Perhaps that in itself was curious about Kiana--when she fought, she knew exactly what it was she was doing to her opponent, and she did it with unflinching resolution, just as she was now compressing a bleeding wound, and showing Saari how to make a quick tourniquet to get the poor sailor stable and down to sick bay.

She heard the Captain, and quickly rose to her feet, nodding to one of Saari's questions and patting her on the shoulder as she went toward the first mate.  "Happy to oblige, Captain."  She said with a small salute.  She frowned instantly at seeing the wounds, especially the deeper one, and quickly motioned for Saari to bring her a skin of water.  "These are serious wounds, Jadira.  You shouldn't be on your feet, little less hoisting others around."  Kiana said, concerned.  "Here, lean over so I can clean the wound.  If the acid lingers in your system...well, it wont' be pretty."  She used the water liberally, knowing with two aspects readily available that they had access to more.  She then took some clean gauze and pressed it against the deeper wound, packing it full and holding it against her.  "It isn't life threatening, Captain, but it is still serious.  You need to rest, Jadira.  If you over work yourself now, your wounds will lead to complications."    The frown returned as she contemplated patching up Jadira right then and there, but realized that others still needed her attention.

But then the Alliance was coming together beautifully, helping each other in the aftermath of the battle--and frankly, Jadira deserved a little attention, seeing as she had held off that assault for as long as she had.  "I can take care of this now, Jadira--but I'll need you laying down.  Your quarters would probably be ideal, given as the deck is a little..." She looked down at the acid and blood ridden planks, "...busy."

Jadira is her usual stubborn self, but when Lasuri comes to her she leans on his shoulder for a time, and lets him do some of the basic first aid. Kiana pitches in to wash it, and she smiles for the younger woman, though the tiredness shines in her eyes. "Hey, hey... let's all not focus on me now. There's plenty of others who are more hurt."

Her eyes are haunted, remembering those who died while she was in command. Of course it couldn't be helped, the Dryad was outnumbered and in the worst position of all the ships. Fighting an enemy prepared to die for their cause against lesser numbers is a terrible position to be. But Lasuri can tell that it will be a sore spot for her for a very long time.

Later on, when all the wounds that could be patched are patched (Jadira finds herself amazed by the power of Tageru's Satchel - particularly when he uses the regrowth function on a severed arm - though it will be days yet before even a single limb is restored) the Dryad's first mate retires to her chambers and allows others to tend to her. She's not a model patient, given all her insisting to make sure the other patients are comfortable, but the truth of just how exhausted she is is soon revealed. By the time she and Lasuri are left alone for the night, she has already fallen deep asleep.

That night, after the dead are put to rest beneath the sea, the Chalice sleeps with the Sea Drake. The presence within sends terrible nightmares into Lasuri's mind, all of them involve the woman lying next to him. While she sleeps peacefully, his mind is a roiling sea of calamity, and he sees her die one too many times for him to rest well that night.

Still, the Chalice is little more than a cup of disembodied, malicious thoughts. All it can affect is the perception of what could be, and tempt Lasuri to despair or misstep just enough to let it free.

Elsewhere, the mixed celebration and mourning on the other ships wind down. Antov is still on the Dryad, resting where Tageru's Wound Mending Needles can heal him best. Loukan Hirdu of the Ambition sends some of their wounded to the flagship as well, so the beds of the Dryad are still fuller than they could have been, with the loss of nearly half the crew. As for the Falchion, the Wavecrest Navy soldiers mostly remain to themselves, taking care of their own.

All is quiet until morning light...

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OOC: Continues in "Chapter 2, Phase 5 - The Quiescent Sea".