And this is the first chapter of the next arc! Hope you guys like it =D

Uh, this chapter’s a bit gory, so… >.<

Sorry I didn’t get this chapter up yesterday – it was a cold night, a friend was over, so we lit a fire and I…fell asleep. >.> Yes, that is rather sad, isn’t it? I feel like a house-pet. Wheeeee. As always, feel free to critique me or speak of any fields that require improvement. I thrive on feedback!

EDIT: This chapter is substandard. Argh. And I have a feeling they’re only going to get worse. Aargh.
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i. Az

I was struggling up to her as she huddled against the prow of the boat, her bolts rendered useless by the sheer size of the beast. It had only been infuriated by our attempts to defend ourselves and anything further would be suicide. I cursed as I saw it spreading its dark wings over the prow, raising its clawed hands to begin a spell.
“Essy!” I screamed, cursing myself for not training my Haste skill when I had the chance. Pushing myself off the deck, I ran, faster than I’d ever known I could run, swept her up in my arms and narrowly evaded the crackling, dark lightning that tore the prow to shreds behind us. She had buried her face in my chest and was sobbing; dry, breathless sounds that wrenched at my heart.

“Please,” she was murmuring. I ran to the door of the cabin and shouted, trying to reassure myself as much as her, “It’s okay! Stay down!” and lowered her to the deck, through the crashes and cracks of splintering wood, and wrenched at the handle. No yield. One of the Balrogs shrieked, a sound that almost made my spine into so much jelly, and I hurled myself over Essy protectively as it swooped around the ship a couple of times. Just as I thought it was gone, sitting up cautiously, I heard the almighty creak of shattered timber, and looked up in horror to see one of the sails descend in flaming glory.

“Essy!” I shouted again, and shoved her across the deck; hopefully out of harm’s way. I didn’t want to take any chances with my own life either, though, and I slammed on Haste and Dark Sight, going as fast as I could go, adrenaline and fear pushing me past my limits. The moment I grabbed her I felt her gasp, rather than heard it, and the beast howled at losing sight of its prey. When I chanced a glance back, the flaming sail was tumbling over the railing of the boat and I winced, just glad the boat still wasn’t on fire.

“Az,” she sobbed, and I clutched her tighter, aware of her fear, aware of her stricken helplessness. I wanted to hold her close and joke with her and comfort her, but I couldn’t. Not when the fearsome Crimson Balrogs were attacking our ship.
“It’s okay,” I promised again, once more returned to the cabin door. I didn’t want to chance kicking it in, for a ship like this had to be smothered in enchantments thick enough to ward Balrogs away from the passengers. Too bad the prow and deck didn’t have the same kind of thing. “Stay cool, Es. I’ll protect you.” The litany was dry in my mouth as I hammered on the door; the dark ship of bone hovering beside us like a grim reminder of doom. The ‘rogs had disappeared, but I had no doubt that they’d be back.

“This is all my fault!” she hiccupped, and I cradled her close as I leant against the door, smiling weakly at her. “Yeah, right. Don’t blame it on yourself. Blame it on the B. O. I mean, how long has it been since some of those guys washed their clothes? Or took a bath, even?” She gave me a weak, watery smile in return and I grinned, a bit forcedly, but took her chin in my fingers and shook it up and down a bit.
“You’re never serious, are you?” she asked, and I pretended to be affronted for her sake, even though my stomach was churning from the mixture of boat-sickness and raw, abject, heart-thumping terror.
“Serious, me? That’s an insult.” She laughed softly and I hammered on the door once more; still no answer.

The next second was a blur of screaming, a searing explosion, a gust of hot air that slammed me against the railing, heavily winding me.

As soon as I felt confident – and strong enough – to move, I scrambled over to her still form, the purple of her hair marred with blood. A soft, coloured rag-doll dropped on top of the wreckage, like a finishing touch, like something a callous kid might do. “ESSY!” Hesitantly, I turned her over and gasped, then began to choke with tears as I pulled her still form to me and hugged her tight.
“I’m sorry,” I choked. “No, please, Essy. I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Where her right eye had been was a cauterized, bleeding socket.

I sat up sharply, feeling the back of my neck slick with a cold sweat. Li glanced over at me and muttered, “Trust you to fall asleep on a bumpy ship ride.” I gave her a forced smile and said, in as light a voice as I could manage, “Oh, at least I haven’t puked all over the nearest person yet.”

She didn’t look amused or irritated or any of the normal things. She looked slightly worried, and that made me worried, which in turn made her even more worried, and…yeah.
“You sound weird,” she said bluntly. I blinked, then decided there was no point in not telling her. She had the right to know. After all, she’d saved my life, after…
“Yeah,” I said softly, and she looked at me curiously. I took a moment to gather my guts up from the black pit in my stomach, and glanced around. We weren’t the only ones on the ship; there was a small party of four not too far away, and a lightning mage chatting loudly about his pet kitty with a blushing young swordswoman.

“Just thinking about…the last time,” I said quietly, returning my gaze to straight between my knees, down at the planking. “When I last took this trip.”
“Ouch.” She sounded sympathetic, though, and I couldn’t help but smile, just slightly.
“Since it’s all getting dug up again…I guess I can’t help but think about it, huh?” I looked across at her and grinned, this time a bit more realistically than my previous feeble attempts. Man, they had been feeble. Depressed Chronoses could grin better. “Just like you can’t help but-” She shoved me hard and I pretended to fall off the stack of rugs; she glared at me and batted me away as I grabbed at her shoulders.

“You’re incorrigible,” she growled, and I pretended to look hurt.
“Me? But I’m corrigible. Look, I’ve got wavy layers.” I pointed at my Pilfer to demonstrate, and she sighed and looked away.
“You’re thinking of ‘corrugated’,” she muttered. “I don’t want to know why I know you.” I struck a noble and spiffy-looking pose, making her glare at me.
“Because you’re unbelievably attracted to my cool and suave,” I began, but she really had shoved me off the stack of rugs before I could continue on about how awesome I was. Giving me her best Look of Death, she grumbled, “Why won’t you ever shut up?”

ii. Interlude
“Saedas.” The man addressed didn’t turn, though his hand stilled, instead glancing at this newcomer in the mirror. Then he lowered the brush he held, placing it in a drawer upon the dresser.
“Good morning,” the addressed said, still not turning. His companion took a step or two forward, opening the drawer that the man Saedas had closed and removing the brush and a comb. Saedas’s hands moved slightly, but settled themselves back down upon the arms of his chair.

“Is it safe to assume that this is no social call?” he asked, as his…guest…took off his hat, slinging it casually over a corner of the chair’s back. The guest took his time answering, picking up a brush, playing with it.
“Have I ever visited you just to chat?” he asked back finally, and Saedas smiled.
“I would suppose not.” He watched as his visitor finally picked up the brush and leaned back to make it easier for the visitor, who began to run it through Saedas’s red hair. “So, what is it you want from me then? Money? Weapons? Another-” The brush stopped its run, and suddenly, his head was violently jerked back as the visitor’s hands tangled in his hair.

“Do be quiet,” remarked the visitor. “Remember, you owe me a life.” Releasing his grip, he resumed the brushing as if nothing had happened. Glancing at this companion in the mirror, the redhead said softly, apparently unperturbed by the outburst, “Indeed…” Both fell silent for a long beat, before his visitor resumed casually, “They’re coming to Ossyria to solve the mystery.”
“Oh?” That was all Saedas said, and the other man nodded. “And I trust you want me to do something about it?”
“I want you to send the girl,” answered the visitor, putting the brush down, his hand moving for the comb. In the brightly lit room, the yellow crystal lamps on the wall gave his hand a faint greenish cast. Before he could pick up the horn comb, carved with the picture of a Cellion, Saedas caught his hand.

“You have that much confidence in her?” he asked, his voice low. “They may…” His visitor laughed, a blood-chilling sound, and pulled out of the redhead’s grasp, picking up the comb.
“Believe in her for once,” he replied. “She’s deserving.” Saedas nodded and reached up, taking the comb out of his companion’s hand and toying with it for a moment as he rose. Still looking into the mirror, reflecting both of them; sometimes friends, allies when it suited them, partners in deception…he stepped aside and gestured at the chair.

“Do sit, Maestro,” he said languidly, waving a hand. “It has been so long since we spoke of things other than business affairs.”

iii. Az
“You owe me fifty thousand mesos,” I said to her, and she sputtered, turning quickly to glare at me. I patted Moppie on the head and he whined at me; I drew my hand back, looking around furtively to see if anyone had been watching me and was about to accuse me of being cruel to dogs just as Li yelled, “That wasn’t even a fair bet!” I looked at her and blinked a couple of times while her arms spasmed, then I said cheerfully, “I won fair and square though. Remember, I said-”
“I don’t care what you said, I’m not paying up,” she said sulkily, reaching over to pet Moppie. He growled at her and she glared back, tripped and fell into a flowerpot. I cracked up and went into silent hysterics for a long while. And even Moppie laughed at her. Well, he barked. I wondered if he would be happy once he met Nero and decided to ask Ericsson if I could…borrow…his pet kitty the next time around.

“You’re…argh! Why am I your friend?” she proclaimed as she picked herself out of the flowerpot, dusting herself off. “I don’t deserve this!” With that, she stormed off in the direction of Orbis Tower, and I chased after her, pausing to bark goodbye to Moppie. A Page stopped to give me a funny look, and I paused to pat him on the shoulder and said to him in a low voice, “Women.” He nodded fervently and we both shared a moment of manly bonding, then I switched on Haste and ran after Li.

“Aw, c’mon, don’t be mad,” I protested, absent-mindedly stabbing an Ice Sentinel as I leapt off the stair. It cracked into pieces as she hurled a Steely at me; I jumped and it nailed another of the moving rocks in the…eye-thing. I wondered if they had eyes. If I did, maybe I could poke them in the eye. And they’d die of eye infections. Ouch. That would be unpleasant. “I mean, you are mad. You’re crazy mad. But don’t be angry mad. Pleeeease.”
“If I’m crazy mad, what does that make you?” she ground out, beginning to climb down a ladder. “You’re psycho enough to make Buffys look sane.”
“Buffys are sane,” I said cheerfully, leaping down as soon as she reached the bottom. She glared at me and muttered, “Showoff.”

“Don’t be jealous of my amazing coolness,” I grinned, and walked over to the chute to the next floor. “Just because you can’t be as awesome as me.” I ducked as four Steelys flew over my head and into the door, straightened up and pulled them out, then turned around and laughed at her. She looked mad. Red mad. I wondered if she was going to explode in a spurt of fiery doom all over me. I didn’t want to get covered in fiery Li doom goo. I took one careful step towards the chute, another, then I dived in and she followed me, yelling, “The next time you get poisoned, I’m not saving your life!” I landed on my feet, turning as she hit the ground, stumbled forward, tripped on an ice slick and fell onto a Leatty, which bit her.

I sat down on a step to watch the fluff fly. Man, forget the bunny, she was like a destructive puppy. With claws. Maybe she should be a cat. With teeth. I remembered the neighbour’s cat had got in and torn up our bedroom once. With the TEETH and CLAWS of SCARY SHARPNESS. I winced, remembering the grievous harm the Evil Scary Kitty had inflicted upon me.

Glaring at me as she salvaged mesos from the bits of white fluff, she snarled and I grinned.
“I’ve decided,” I said. “You won’t be Miss Fluffles. You’ll be Scary Kitty-Li. Because you’re like a scary kitty.” She looked as though she was about to storm over and punch me in the face. I pointed at her and laughed. Even though I didn’t want to get punched in the face. Then I walked over and stole her hat with amazing skills of thief.

Leaping down a flight of stairs, I skidded across a slick of ice and jumped over a squeaking bunch of Leatties who, I suppose, ambushed Li. There was the sound of tearing fur and cushions – I mean, Leatties – going to sofa-y heaven. I ducked and a big ball of fur soared over the top of my head, missing me narrowly as I jumped down the chute.

When I hit the bottom, I backed up against the big wall stating the floor number and held the hat out like a shield against the Cushion-Destroying Kitty-Li. She landed at the bottom in a crouch, Hasted over to me and grabbed the Once-Red-But-Now-Dirty-Brown-Burglar from me, glaring the Look of Fiery Death. Worse than the Look of Death. This one was saying ‘I will burn you. Buuuurn. Look into my eyes and be buuuuurned.’ I mock-cringed against the big SIX and made little vague shooing motions at her.

There was a faint whooshing sound behind her and I glanced up, thinking it could be one of the fairies going for a spin. But fairies didn’t fly so low. Confused, I looked at her, and she turned so we were both facing the broad window.
“What is it?” she asked, and I grinned at her.
“Aw, the Cushion-Destroying Li-Kitty of Death is worried for me,” I teased, leaning over. She batted me away, scowling. “Ickle Li-Kitty-kins ish scared. Yesh, wubby?”
“You,” she exclaimed, raising her hands in disgust, “You’re…you! Argh!”
“I’m me. Is that supposed to be an insult or anything?” I asked, pretending to be confused. Something flickered at the edge of my vision and I ducked.

A red whip slashed across the space where my head had been a fraction of a second ago. Li stepped back, readying her knives, as I rose and turned in the direction of the whip. More people out to kill me. Nice to know I felt wanted. Oh, bad pun. Or at least, I would have bemoaned the bad pun, if I hadn’t caught sight of it all.

Lavender hair, a crimson eyepatch over her right eye, a semi-familiar smile on her pale face.
“Essy?” I whispered desperately, taking a step towards her. She hopped off the ledge and began to walk towards me, dressed all in purple. It suited her better than she could have imagined. Li had put down her knives and was watching her, amazed.
“I thought you were dead,” I mumbled, as she stopped and held her arms out to me. I couldn’t restrain myself; I hurled myself across the distance, picked her up, and twirled her around. “Essy! My god, Essy! You…you survived!”

Gently, I placed her feet back on the floor, while Li approached. Es gave me a smile, sweet and lovable and innocent, and beckoned me down. I leant over so she could whisper in my ear, holding her as tightly as I could.
“I survived,” she whispered. “But you’re not going to.”

Unwilling to believe my ears, I pushed away slightly just in time for her to wrap her whip around my neck.
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Looks like the reunion isn’t going to go as planned…what has happened to Finesse? Will Az be able to shake their old ties in order to figure out what’s wrong? What about the mysterious Saedas? Find out…sometime else! xD