[Quest] The Black Obelisk: Act II of Darkling Tides

[Paragon]

If the volunteers looked across the bay, they would see the disturbance at the other boat. If they listened, they would hear the screams. The terror. The bloodcurdling terror. And then the boat was hit again, Yuna moving into the centre, and crouching down to regain her balance. "Move closer!" she shouted. It was a moment of frantic movement and fear. When the boat was struck again, the terrible sound of splintering wood filled the air, and a large plank broke free from the boat, tugged away by something in the water. The action was ravenous. It spoke of tumultuous hunger. Of bloodthirsty drive. In the heat of the moment, perhaps someone would catch a glimpse of the teeth. Like a row of iron spikes, they clamped down on the boat, eager for the flesh within its hold. There was nowhere to run.

[Nai'shee]

Trente reached his rapier, but he was doubtful for some reason. At this shaky boat it was probably dangerous to swing it around and it wasn't of any use yet. Only then she noticed what was happening to the other boat, the White Obelisk's crew. And she didn't like it one bit. Trente's little warning was funny to her, almost hysterically. She only gave him a little nod, but she still barely kept away from crazed laugh. Would she actually over exert herself? It was what was in her mind a moment ago, she was joking, but now she wasn't sure if she wouldn't do it, as a last resort as she thought. Jump into water. She was somehow grateful to Trente for bringing her back to the reality. She had bad habit of endangering her own life whenever she had a chance. She still held to the ship's rail. "I guess no one hid them in the pocket", she replied to Lyams reference about bows and arrows. "But yes, it would be helpful if we knew what it is. But it's probably just some sea creature, hungry sea creature. Anyways, I guess we'll all just end up in water however you take it..." Alright, that comment didn't help her advice about not being in panic, but she took it as a fact: if they don't do something, they'll end up in water. She listened to him and moved towards the center of the boat, now more fearful because she couldn't hold onto anything. Ndale should just fly away, while she still can... But she couldn't say this to her, she knew she wouldn't agree and that she is just spending effort she should use to make progress in making some plan here. "We should have brought blood decoy or something...", she knew sailors used those often. She made mental note to buy some when she sails. "But I doubt if it would drive them away for enough time." Otherwise somebody could just cut himself or herself. But she doubt that would give them more than few minutes and it would just weaken one of them. "Any poisons? Anything?" At this point boat started to shake extremely and she needed huge concentration to keep her balance. She just felt she was hitting everyone and she tried to hold to anything. It was just the matter of time when will their boat capsize. She haven't even had a chance to murmur proper "Damn" while doing her acrobatic moves across the boat. Everybody was sitting or half laying at this point and she couldn't help but wonder will somebody come up with something. She counted at Trente at this one mostly. They are all going to die if somebody doesn't do something. Her old wishes about over exerting started to come back... Suddenly wood boat was made of cracked with huge splintering noise and Nai'shee reacted in a second, sending her Djed into her legs and rejecting her body off that boat. It didn't help her much, because she ended up in water, which was worst possible scenario, but she didn't end up in this creatures mouth, at least not yet. She couldn't let a sound out of her, as the moment surprised her and she could just try and swim as far as she could. Her arms and legs moved on their own, doing their best to avoid the danger. But animals, whatever they were, were gathered around the boat they just sinked. And around its passengers. She just stopped, at something that should be called safe distance, or at least it will be safe for next few minutes. Instinct to come back and to run fought trough her and only the scene behind her could decide this for her. She turned around to face her friends' destiny.

[Trente]

Trente struggled greatly as the boat bucked, and the splintered crack came form below them. Moving to the centre was smart, he could agree with that, but staying in the boat was the best any of them could hope for at the moments. His years at sea, and training in poise helped, but not enough from stumbling into somebody. Nai'shee, they fell together, then her body seemed to spasm a moment, feet connecting firmly to what remained of the deck beneath them. Consciously he was confused, worried, but somewhere he knew in that instant was she would do. One hand grabbed unrelenting to the side of the boat he had be tossed against, the second made a staggering attempt to reach out toward her. His hand miraculously managed to grip her, but not tight enough. She was gone, and any remnant of calm within Trente was instantly obliterated.

Splitting up was not the answer, the Konti was right. And Nai'shee, as brave as she thought she might be was taking the role of a leader, and without warning had left them all. He couldn't help himself, as his hand was left empty, he shourt, "Fool!"

The boat still shaking, water pouring in through the hole he knew full well the ship itself was doomed, even if no more damage we to be taken it wouldn't float, not any longer. Trente asked himself if this made it useless, the answer was a clear no. It hid them from the sight of these things had a chance of injuring the assailants as they ripped through it, and they still had the oars. Yes, the oars.

He wanted to save Nai'shee, he wanted to dive in after her, prepare to fight. He knew he couldn't he knew this would end in both of their deaths. More importantly, there was leadership, strength to be found in the numbers upon the ship. The Konti above all else knew the waters, and she had commanded them closer. And such an order must be followed. His free hand fell and touched Yuna, looking her over. She was fine, no blood, and so he firmly squeezed her as he hoisted himself into the middle with her. The hand we was using to steady himself fell firmly on one of the bench seats within, and he stared a moment concerned into the quickly flooding hole below them.

"Yuna, the oars. Untie them, use them to prod at the thing. Girls-" the boa began to still, not from time but the weight of water inside steadying it. "Help Yuna. Boys, if the boat rocks again jump toward the side that goes up. Put your full weight in it." His command wasn't to save the ship, it was to make sure they didn't all get bucked out of their floating coffin before they got their oars loosed for some element of defense, as pathetic as it might be.

He then grimaced, he hated the idea but he knew what he must do, and it didn't involved sitting comfortably in the middle of the ship. Somebody had to get above the the water, look down and try to see these things coming. The glare from the grey clouds above were blinding when hunkered down near the floor of the slowly sinking boat. He would have made the Konti do it, but he knew very well he was probably the least likely to be kicked from the boat while standing. He could also prepare to lunge down at the creature from up that, as the only one with a noticeably suitable weapon.

His mind did not stretch beyond the situation, there was nothing but the barrage from below, the diminishing wood at their feet, and the four beating hearts around him. He wished he could forget about Nai'shee, but that was impossible. He preyed they knew what she was doing, and he vowed he would do his best to pull her out when she finally pushed herself too far. Idiot.

"Requesting permission to stand and scout for the creature, Yuna." The request was slurred out as quickly and clearly as he could muster, as he began to realize some aches across his body. Being banged around had hurt him, but no more than some bruised. So he studied the rocking of the boat, and if Yuna gave the affirmative he stood up, slacked his knees letting the boat sway beneath him, and proudly moved to the bow of the ship, searching the waters below for some sign of their creatures. From there the glare would be less, and he hoped for a clear shot now that he had modes far enough from the group toiling below. From there he would finally extract his blade.

The ocean belongs to Laviku, salt and water. Though Trente knew only one of life's liquids mean shyke to the god, he knew this well. Blood. His or these creatures would quell the waves below, and nothing short.

[Nai'shee]

While she jumped she noticed, painfully, deathly, Trente's hand lightly holding onto her. She couldn't surpass strength she summoned, she couldn't stop the jump. The touch lasted for one bare moment, but all despair in the world transfered to her in that one moment and only thing she wanted was to stay there and help them somehow. But reflexes moved her far away from the boat she considered sinking, into the deathly depths of water. Boat was, luckily, still in one part, which made her jump completely useless and stupid. Her friends seemed to hold still and prepared oars. Trente stood to do something, observing the water carefully. This would probably meat that she was safe to go, but stupid as she was she couldn't forgive herself for leaving them there. She knew this probably meant her death, but she took a deep breath, wondering if it'll be the last, and dived, searching for the creatures who dared to attack her friends. She had no weapon, she only had her fists and her Flux for fight, she wasn't too skilled either, but heavy amount of adrenalin burnt trough her veins and she knew she won't regret this, however it ends.

[Saeriel]

Spring, Day 13, 512 AV Saeriel had moved to the center of the boat, and just in time as well because as she got there the creature clamped down on the side of the boat, wood splintering everywhere. She also noticed that one of the females had apparently jumped out of the boat and into the water a ways away. One of the men began shouting commands, and as reluctant as Saeriel was at following men's commands, she followed them and began to untie the oars, though she would use her sword for defense as opposed to an oar. The oar was not capable of killing after all.

[Lyam]

The boat shook once more and Lyam could almost hear the wood yelling from pain while the creatures in the water were bitten it. Lyam feared the ship would break or not resist to that awful attack but obviously it was more resistant than it seemed. But as some wood boards cracked under light long teeth, the panic reached the crew. It had gone too fast for Lyam to follow. And anyway, he had only an eye for a young girl jumping in the water with despair – or rather with madness. ”What’s the…” Lyam barely said, stomached. Trente’s hand had been useless and so was Lyam at the time. While everybody began to agitate on the boat, he remained static during a while, unable to believe his eyes. He gazed at everyone, had a look at Nai’shee in the water… But no one seemed to be up to save her. Lyam took hardly two seconds to tell himself that it was his role to rescue Nai’shee but once he had done, a powerful feeling of strength and urgency filled his entire body. What was that? He had clearly no idea but now his goal was certain: he had to protect the girl. This confusing sensation he felt before coming on the boat was finally only his Kelvic sense telling him – warning him – that Nai’shee was the one he had to be bound to. It was no more a matter of protecting an elder of little accidents, or of protecting a family during a trip between two towns. No. Now it was serious. Nai’shee was... under HIS protection. He wore already no shirt and no shoes, so it took him only two other seconds to jump in the water, blind to the danger. The sea was awfully cold but he didn’t mind. When his head emerged of the water though, he could no more see Nai’shee and he made him panicked. Did the girl sink? Some bubbles over the water indicated him where to look for her. He did not hesitate and plunge after her. He never even reminded that he could be hurt or killed. 'Cause his life would have no more sense if ever the girl would disapear.

[Nai'shee]

She caught a glance of one of the animals noticing her before she decided to catch some more air. When she was out again she noticed Lyam was missing from the boat. She calmed her breathing, looking at the others before she dived again to find him swimming towards her. Fool!, she thought desperately. She could say same thing about herself. But what horrified her more than anything else was the fact creature which noticed her before was now behind Lyam, still far enough, but obviously aiming for him. "NO!", she tried to scream, but she only swallowed tons of water. She pointed towards the animal, swimming out again, desperate for air. This time the surface of water seemed really far away. It was just a feet or so, but she couldn't help despairing for air for those few seconds it took her to swim out again. She was relived when she finally got fresh air. She didn't have time to waste, she just breathed in again and dived back, using Flux, swimming towards Lyam. The creature was showing his huge fangs. Lyam probably noticed it by now, so she didn't waste time pointing at it again either. Her plan was just to punch that thing in the face the hardest she could, but huge mouth it had prevented her from doing so, because she didn't want to lose that fist. But she wasn't fully aware of any of those things, since the only thing she could think about was saving Lyam and herself.

[Paragon]

On the boat, Trente's quick thinking had saved lives. There was no doubt about that. Stabbing with the oars had fended off the creatures momentarily, and moving back and forth had kept the balance of the boat, ensuring no one had unwittingly fallen in. Saeriel lashed to the side with her blade, an even more effective tool in keeping whatever endangered their lives at bay. However, Nai'shee and by a cruel twist of fate, Lyam too, now swam in dangerous waters. Nai'shee was submerged momentarily, and she saw the thing. It was a shark. Not an uncommon sight to those living in the cradle of Mathew's Bay. It was no ordinary shark though. Lyam swam under and soon came face to face with the thing. It's head was mangled, misshapen. Its eyes were vacuous, only starry darkness beneath black pools. It's flesh seemed mangled too, shredded, bladed. Its teeth gnashed, splinters of the boats wood caught between them. Suddenly, it rushed at Lyam, its great maw opening to feed. Nai'shee had swum down to find the Kelvic, and she would quickly see the encounter. With flux fuelling her body, what would she do next? On the boat, the Obelisk neared. Yuna looked over the side of the boat in panic. Dead students had never been part of her remit...

[Nai'shee]

Nai'shee's mind raced, wondering what to do. As she approached the two she recognized a shark. Her first thought was to try and hug it, using Flux to seal it's mouth by her arms, maybe even smash it if she tries hard enough. But as she approached she realized it was to big for such an attempt. Also, she saw it wasn't just a shark, it was a monster. The shark was big and full of scars. Her had was weird, Nai'shee couldn't connect it's shape to any creature she have ever seen. Her little eyes were dark and empty. She seemed to have few open wounds, as well, but they were not deep, for it those were probably just scratches. Her flesh was dark and unnatural. This thing battled many battles in it's life. She wondered how many rowboats were actually sunk by it up until now. Bare image scared her. Her full being was concentrated on this fight. She never felt so alive as now, when she knew she might die. Shark was much faster than both her and Lyam and she wondered will she even make it. Run, she thought, desperate that she cannot speak, please run away. OOCI'll assume that Nai managed to swim to Lyam in time, but since it wouldn't be too realistic try some trick to run away as well. Nai'shee never experienced battling a shark, but she heard few stories about that. She just hoped she'll be able to tell this one. Weapon would certainly help her now. She thought about contains of her little bag, but it was almost empty now and all she had was food. Feeding to this thing probably wouldn't help either. She was sure it could swallow both her and Lyam, not to mention few vegetables she carried. She quickly scanned the thing, searching for any softer spot to attack. Only darkness and fat, dark flesh. It probably wouldn't even feel her punch. She would mostly like to get one of its huge teeth broken and use it as a weapon, but it wasn't an option underwater where her Flux powered attacks weren't close as powerful as usually. Instead, she collected all of the strength she had and sent most of her Djed into her left palm. She tried to focus rest of the Djed into swimming, since it would strengthen her punch. She felt almost unbearable energy racing trough her, her muscles contracted and she was barely able to control her movement. She could just pray she would not collapse. It was safe to assume Lyam would carry her back or to the boat, whatever was closer right now. She aimed for shark's eye, the point that would probably hurt giant fish the most. Or, in fact, the only point that would damage it. She knew she wouldn't kill the shark without something sharp, so she honestly hoped for this to scare it away by this. She delivered the blow, praying to Laviku to help her not to miss, since it was probably only chance she would get.

[Trente]

Meanwhile above water Trente stifled an increasing urge to swear. The two foolhardy victims had dove too far for him to help, and all he could see was a lightly shaded visage moving with surprising grace, but ferocious speed around and eventually toward the two figures. His mind drifted suddenly from thoughts of hierarchy, or any chain of command, as Yuna became just another set of hands to Trente. She was no leader.

"Yuna, gather rope and secure it to something buoyant-" He gave himself and his ostentatious language a sharp glare, and corrected himself. "Something that will float." He did not look to her, but he shouted clearly enough for all to hear as his eyes remained glued to the surface of the water where the shark poised itself for another round, flicking his sight about spontaneously to check for attacks from other angles.

He waited for Yuna to carry through, and when she had made due with the resources at her disposal Trente scanned the boat for the strongest looking individual. He gave a bitter exhale of disgust at his choices, he harbored no dislike for them, in fact the dire nature of the situation endeared himself quite a bit to anybody who wasn't trying to consume him, but his nervous were too high for pleasantries. And, the truth was the two most capable of the job at hand hadn't the brains to remain inside the boat to begin with.

"Boy!" He shouted at Calen, who didn't look much younger than Trente. "Take the slack of the rope and do not let go, no matter what." He spared an aggressive glare to the young man, tinged with an edge of respect. He could manage this much, it was Yuna Trente was worried about.

He looked Yuna in the eyes, and for those more keen to Trente's behavior there was apology to been seen. "You can swim. Do it."

With a flash, still focusing on his balance, Trente let his blade extend into a point toward the two submerged in the water, eye diverting from Yuna to the silhouettes once more, which had made full circle and began its burst of power to make another pass, like a monstrous bull. "On my word you dive." his speech was lightening fast, and he had to struggle to slow it enough to be understood. "Bring the rope, and we will retrieve you. I promise."

Trente was not in any way in support of promises, and delivered them quite infrequently. However, the time seemed to call for it. He trusted the Konti's bravery, and wish to save the two fools who had abandoned the ship, more so he trusted her skill in the water. Trente had another idea in mind. He did want the two saved, but this was the only way Trente could think to lure the shark close enough for a true strike with his rapier, one precise strike is all it would take. Dangle some meat out, then pull it in on a line. Basic fishing.

Trente's eyes narrowed, the idea of what could happen to the three seared at the interior of his stomach, acid churning and rising. Later, he thought, and forced it back down. He would mark Yuna to dive once he witnessed the pass of the monstrous bay beast. In truth, he would call the dive weather the two survived or not. He needed his bait. Times were too dire for sentiment. Later he would realize that it was sentiment that forced his hand in sending somebody capable after Nai'shee to begin with. And, he would see how entertaining it was, that so often she found herself saving men that set out to save her. The idiotic man, Lyam, would end up getting her ripped limb from limb if anybody did.