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The Flow of Battle

Four warriors stood in the grand hall of Castle Arrenthen, each down on one knee and prepared to hear the commands of their King and Queen in regards to the call to action they'd answered in the form of a summons left on the job boards of every tavern in town. Queen Talba and King Vaulix were sitting comfortably in their thrones on the second level of the grand hall, light streaming through the stained-glass window portrait of them that comprised much of the wall behind them. Lining either side of the hall both on the ground floor and the balcony were the Arrenthen Royal Guard, spaced in between each of the marble pillars that spanned from the floor to the ceiling and through the balcony.

"I won't waste anyone's time." The queen started as she got to her feet, azure dress flowing behind her with every step down the stairs. "A grave omen has befallen our kingdom and we are in dire need of heroes who are willing to lay down their lives for the good of the people and the future. For the right coin, of course." She had to add that last bit, as each of the warriors were promised a thick and heavy sack of coin in exchange of their services.

The first hero was Ithilwen, a blue and white ciennic geomancer. Canine, average sized, but with an indomitable spirit. She commanded the flora and the soil that birthed it and was known to be a very capable leader among the mercenaries in town. Rick Marks and Cocamo - the two mercenary consultants hired by the crown - had both worked with her in their days, and both vouched for her.

Second was Tritus. A thick-scaled blue dragon knight with a penchant for the mystic arts. He was valiant and loyal, exactly the sort of fighter that any team would want on their side. He was known to be one of the most durable in the land, having been trained as an elite saurossin in the Untherian army in the war from decade's past, and was always willing to lend a claw to those in need.

Ezio was an old friend of Ithilwen's, a treasure hunter and adventurer from the far west known to be deft on his feet and quick with a blade. He and Ithilwen had been traveling for years after the latter finally acquired The Eye of the Cat, and they hadn't parted ways since. A rogue with a big heart, Ezio was known to do what was necessary, but not as the cost of life if he could help it.

Finally came Mobius, a raptor captured by the Royal Guard many years prior during the Arrenthen-Untheria war - the same war that trained Tritus and Vaulix in the dragon lands. An old friend of Rick's, he was known to be reliable. More of a scavenger, he collected relics and skills in his journey in a manner befitting an all-around adventurer with skills in magic, combat, and healing.

Of the dozens of local blade-for-hires that expressed interest in the call to arms, only these four were trusted enough to carry out the tasked doted upon them by the crown.

Vaulix remained in his throne, one eye on Talba while much of his attention was focused on the four warriors before him. "I'm not sure if you've heard the rumours but if you haven't we'll be happy to fill you in. The Isle A'Sura is the northernmost island in the Untherian Archipelago, and it's volcanic. Yes, it is part of Untheria and not technically on Arrenthen soil, but it's close enough to our eastern shores that it is important enough to send our own warriors to the island to investigate."

Ithilwen raised her paw. "I heard the volcano is going to erupt. What is it that we can do?" The four heroes were just that, four heroes. They weren't gods or titans, they did not begin to possess the magic or strength needed to make an impact on such a wide scale.

"Correct." Talba interjected. "The thing that most people don't know is that the island is protected by a dragon by the name of Asura. Hence the name the Isle A'Sura. This is not common knowledge and has been hidden for centuries to keep people from panic. See, this dragon has long since been tasked with keeping the eruption at bay, but many reports from the area have described images of a molten-scaled dragon inciting the flames of the volcano, stoking the eruption over the past months. Since then, smoke has begun to billow into the sky and we fear the dragon has gone rogue."

Tritus bowed and placed a balled up fist on his chest. "You want us to take the dragon out. Not ideal, but for the greater good sometimes sacrifices must be made."

"Not quite. We want you to investigate, first. I've met Asura before I became queen and nothing about him gave me the impression that he'd want to bring ruination upon the land. I fear that, with the end of the war between Arrenthen and Untheria behind us, madness may have taken him. The reason we're not sending Arrenthen soldiers is for diplomacy; if it turns out he is rebelling against our people, the last thing he needs is to be talked down to by Arrenthen natives. No equines, no avians, no felines. Canines and dragons are the best bet for this mission, but the Untherian King has made no move yet."

"And you care more about your people and the land than politics." Ezio suggested with a half-cocked smirk. "I like that. I like you, Talba."

Each of the massive, equine Guards shifted at the sound of Ezio not calling Talba by her title.

The queen wasn't as indignant about such things. "I'm supposed to say that it's 'my Queen' to you, but I'm not your queen, am I?" She winked and clicked her beak before making the final few steps to the ground level. There, she walked by each of the four warriors, tapping them each on the shoulder with the back of her hand. "So, I bless you each with strength and vigor to accomplish this task on my behalf. Waste no time, the coast is depending on you."

Mobius got to his feet and nodded as he glanced over to Rick and Cocamo, the two mercenaries he'd shared a holding cell with before the end of the war. "We will do what we can, my queen." He held her hand in his and kissed her wrist. "We will depart with haste."

"Good." Talba concurred. "When you leave the castle, Syrus will meet you just beyond the walls and be guiding you to your transport. From there, he will escort you to Port Araliptian, the southernmost port on our eastern coast. There, you will charter a ship to Isle A'Sura, and from there the rest is up to you. I have the utmost faith in the four of you, and should you return you will be literally showered in coin. You will be rich, is what I'm saying. In the meantime, however, we will also be providing for your journey. Meals, lodging, and entertainment along the way as well as your transport. Each of you will be given a satchel of silver, enough to live like kings for the week's travels."

Each of the four heroes widened their eyes as they came to realize what sort of fun that could buy them en route. All but Tritus, of course; he cared more about helping others than helping himself.

Ithilwen bowed as she got to her feet. "Then let's make haste. Boys, let's go!" She commanded each of the warriors and they obeyed. She was never officially labeled their leader nor was she any more qualified than the others, but the canine had a commanding voice and the others were happy to listen to those who seemed to know what they were doing.

As promised, the four warriors were met beyond the gates to the castle by a small armored kobold of gray and red scales. He doled out each of their coin bags and explained much of the minutiae of the trip that would take them from Castle Arrenthen to Port Araliptian and beyond. They all got into a well-guarded carriage drawn by ulokar steeds and were quickly taken out of the city after one brief stop for some kebabs. Then, without any further distractions, they had departed on an adventure!

The trip from the capitol city to the port only took three days, but in that time each of the four warriors got to know one another much better. Within hours of leaving Castle Arrenthen they had already determined that they were going to get along quite well. Ithilwen may have been a bit more stern and commanding compared to the roguish Mobius and bandit-like Ezio, but that seemed to be exactly what they both needed to keep their snouts in check. Tritus was more of a gentle giant in comparison to them, as he was quiet and soft spoken but still friendly and eager to keep the peace.

They joked, they told tales of prior adventures, and they even went so far as to confide their fears and weaknesses en route to the port city. In only three days - albeit three days stuck stuffed in a carriage that barely held them when they slept - they bonded and became quick friends, further verifying the faith that Rick and Cocamo had shown in them. All four of them showed different skills and personality traits that made them work well together while also having just enough overlap in interests and attitudes that they didn't do much to disagree with one another.

Coin. Coin was the primary motivator for three of them; at least at first.

On the dusk of the third day, Syrus tapped on the roof of the carriage to let them know that they had arrived. "We're here, my friendly expendable heroes. Time to part ways." He then reached over and opened the door to let them out.

Despite being at the coast, the warmth and mugginess of the Arrenthen Basin swept into the carriage and practically coated each of their faces before they had the opportunity to step on the sand. First came Mobius, then Ezio, Ithilwen, and Tritus last since he was the most chivalrous and the largest of them. Once they were all out, Syrus grabbed their bags and tossed each onto the ground in the sand next to each respective owner. "This is where we part ways. You see that green-tinged ship with the yellow sails? That's where you're headed. There's an inn nearby that has already been given orders by the crown to let you stay the night in their 'adventurer' suite. Beyond that, I've told you all I can."

Tritus offered a salute and a smile as he picked up his bag. "Aye. You've been a wonderful help. Perhaps we'll see you upon our return?"

"If you return, yeah. I am almost always at the castle. Anyway, best of luck. Mobius, don't forget to document everything you can; the more we know, win or lose, the better." Syrus added.

Mobius rummaged around in his bag, pushing staves and scabbards to the side to find a notepad and pencil. "Sounds good." He had been tasked as the stenographer by Syrus, since he was the one best trained in handwriting and transcription. The others were all capable - it was uncommon for someone to be unable to read or write - but none showed any interest in that part of the quest.

Before Ezio or Ithilwen could make their sarcastic comments, Syrus made a clicking sound with his muzzle to spur on the ulokar steeds to take him away, leaving the four of them on the side of the path with a tall sand dune between them and the port city behind it.

Together, they struggled to climb up the steep hill of sand, all reaching the top at about the same time. What they saw upon cresting the dune made them each smile.

The Port City of Araliptian lined at least a few kilometers of the shore in either direction, with dozens of docks and piers jutting far out into the open seas, each with at least one ship tethered to it. Beautiful, well-kept buildings comprised the entirety of the city from the shores to the dunes, each one built of black or red stone with light colored terracotta roofs ranging from white to seafoam in colour. Many palm trees and ferns jutted out between the homes, giving it all a lush feel. Even from their vantage point, they could see the businesses that were booming nearest the shore and the hundreds of local felines, avians, and equines walking between buildings.

Araliptian was a bustling metropolis nestled in between the coast and the dunes, with only a few slices in the sands meant to accommodate travelers who were coming in from the many roads that traversed the jungle between the port and the capital.

"You know, in all my years I've never actually been here." Mobius commented. He was slipping a bit, as raptor claws weren't meant for mobility in the sand. "But it's as pretty as I imagined."

Ithilwen agreed. "I'm not going to argue. I've been here before, but I swear it looks nicer, now. Maybe it's because it's evening and all the lights are on. Either way, we should probably not stay here in the sand too long; I can already feel it burning my paw pads."

Tritus pointed towards one of the larger masts. "That looks like the ship Syrus was telling us about. The Coral Sweep. It's hard to tell because the sail is folded up, but the flag is a dragon's skull with a trident and a spear. We should head out."

"Oh, and its port so the Coral Sweep's shore-bound business - the inn we're supposed to stay at - should be near its pier." Ezio pointed out. He was referring to the habit many merchant ships would indulge, by having a story on the shore named after the ship that dealt in the same goods and services the ship itself often traded with. Ships that carried food and grain often had vendors or storefronts in their home town that sold those same goods. In this case, the Coral Sweep was an inn and tavern, since the ship was a versatile boat that dealt in many different goods and services.

Mobius nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'm hungry, too. The jerky we got was good, but I could go for something warm and steaming and filling." He licked his lips and started to hop down the dune towards the first homes nearest the sand hills, sure to find the path that led to the wharf.

The others followed, each careful to not drop their bags in the sand. None of them liked the idea of having their weapons rubbing against sand unless it was the whetstone that sharpened the blade.

All four adventurers were greeted with a sort of local enthusiasm that only port cities were known for sharing. Everyone was bubbly, happy, and eager to see folks from out of town because it almost always meant more coin for the local economy or money for their pockets. Brothels were especially keen on seeing visitors on their doorstops, since exotic cocks were always fun whether they paid or not. In a port city, most everyone was wealthy and happy, and that rubbed off on all four.

Collectively, they took in some of the local culture and sampled some local cuisine en route to their destination. They were in a hurry to put their bags in a safe place, but not so hurried that they couldn't enjoy themselves along the way.

When they arrived at the Coral Sweep - the shore-bound store, not the ship itself - Ithilwen stepped forth to take command once more, addressing the tall dragon of gold and aqua scales. "We're here on a quest issued by the crown. I'm Ithilwen, and these are my travel companions Tritus, Mobius, and Ezio." Everyone bowed as she said their name. "We're to understand you have a room for us?"

The dragoness nodded with a smile. "Indeed I do. A messenger bird arrived late last night with news of your arrival carrying a generous amount of coin. You four will be taking the adventurer suite overnight, and we'll be leaving first thing in the morning. My name is Avita and I am the captain of the ship, so any questions should be directed towards me."

"Perfect!" Ithilwen declared. "Where do we put our stuff?"

"Follow me." Avita said as she stepped out from behind the desk. She quickly headed towards the stairs that led to the second floor, passing the door to the pub area and a second one to a drinking area. Upstairs, there were only four doors with each of them labeled 1, A, star, and pound.

Ezio rubbed his paws together. "Sweet, we each get our own room?"

Avita shook her head. "No, you'll be in the Star room. There are four beds there specifically made for parties such as yourself. Same layout as each other room for a total of sixteen spots. This is where I keep much of my crew when we're moored, so we rarely have spare room for customers. In truth, the Coral Sweep isn't an inn, it's a tavern; we mostly deal in food such as meats and veggies."

"That makes sense." Tritus agreed. "So what time do we leave in the morning?"

"Within an hour of dawn, so don't stay up too late." Avita flicked her ear frill and then leaned in. "But if you did, the ship itself isn't far. I'll be waking you all when we're ready to leave, and you can sleep below deck if you wish. So if you want, I won't stop you from having a night on the town."

Ithilwen and Mobius both pumped their fists in delight.

Still, Avita continued. "The trip from port to your destination is another two days, nearly. So fill up, buy jerky, do what you need to do to better prepare yourself. You'll be gone for nearly a week from departure to return with no access to a ride back until I pick you up again. You'll be on the island for at least four days. Two day trip out, you'll be on the island for four days while I return for supplies, then I'll pick you up and we'll be headed back to port. Sound good?"

"Uh, I'm not so sure that works, actually." Tritus interjected. "If the volcano is threatening to erupt and you're not ready to take us back, then we could be stuck on the beaches with nowhere to go."

"Hmm, a good point." Avita paused and stroked her chin. "Alright, then we'll play it by ear. I can't stay floating for more than a couple days, though. Not in those turbulent waters."

Ithilwen sighed and clenched her jaw in thought. "Yeah, that should work. Based on what syrus told us about the size and layout of the island, I don't expect to be ashore there for more than a day, day and a half tops. That is, assuming the volcano doesn't erupt sooner. Can you stay a day and a half?"

Avita nodded. "Yeah, I can. We'll just have to stock up more before we leave. If you could help with supplies, that would be best. The crown showered us with coin but we'd planned a trip around the idea of two return. One after we drop you off and one after we pick you up." She then slid a key into the Star Room's door and opened it. "And here is your room for the night."

Inside, the room was well-kept but simple. Four large beds were in the four corners of the room with tables on between the leftmost two and rightmost two. A triangular window was on the opposite side of the door facing out towards the open ocean giving them a perfect view of the Coral Sweep as it rocked against the pier.

Mobius tossed his bag onto the nearest bed. "Mine!" He declared before hopping up next to it and digging through to find his coin. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'm feeling ravenous!"

Ezio did the same, but with a bit less vigour. He tossed his bag on the next closest of the beds and pulled out a half dozen silver coins. "I'll go with you, but wait a sec. Who gets the key?"

"A good question." Avita concurred as she raised the key, waiting for someone to take it. "Who is your leader?"

Tritus politely plucked it out of her hand. "We don't actually have an official leader, but for the sake of simplicity I'll take it. I won't be going far - probably just going to get a hearty meal at the tavern downstairs - as compared to the rest of our team, who are probably heading out into town to have some fun." He looked around to make sure none of the others objected to his stance.

Ithilwen winced a bit, as she had been treated as the leader up to this point. However, she knew he was right and nodded her approval. "Yeah, that sounds right. I'm gonna hit up the market to see if anyone has any good whetstones, gems, or potions. Probably gonna enjoy myself at the brothel, too."

This piqued Ezio's attention. "Why go to the brothel? I'm free and just as willing."

"True, but you're not a horse. I'm sure you understand." She poked him on the nose before tossing her bag on one of the remaining beds and turning to leave. "Later! See you all in the morning. If you can't find me at dawn, well, I'm dead and can't be revived!" With that said, she zipped out and left the other three adventurers with Avita in the room.

Ezio nodded in agreement and quickly left after her, hurriedly trying to keep up.

Tritus shrugged and pocketed the key before stepping past Avita and placing his bag down gently next to his bed. He was a bit bigger than the other three adventurers, but the beds were made to house equines and dragons both, so it was plenty big for him. "Alright then, Mobius! I guess it's just us for now, isn't it? Wanna go get something to eat?"

"Aye!" The raptor chirped. "And that tavern has some delicious smelling meats down there."

"Glad to hear it." Avita said as she backed out of the room. "I'll be downstairs at the front counter if you need me for anything. I won't be going anywhere but might be in and out of the tavern as needed. As always it's a pleasure to serve you two and I look forward to out departure tomorrow." She closed the door behind her, leaving Tritus and Mobius alone in the room.

Mobius flopped back down on the bed. "She seems nice. Hope she's a good captain."

"I would imagine so." Tritus said as he picked up a flyer from the end-table that gave more information about the Coral Sweep - both the ship and the business. "Says here she's a storm dragon, so if nothing else she probably has at least some control over the seas when she sails; strong magic often equals strong leadership." He was biased, of course; as a mystic knight he had an affinity for magic and often held magic users in higher esteem than non magic users.

"Well, I'm gonna go get something to eat. Bed is soft enough but not as good as I'd like so I'm in no rush to sleep for the evening. Besides, the sun is almost down and if my adventures have taught me anything it's that port cities light up at dusk." He rolled off the bed and stretched out his tail and legs. Before he left, he turned back to Tritus. "I can trust you with the key, right?"

The dragon scoffed and half-cocked a grin. "Naw, I'm gonna lock you all out and put the beds together so I can roll all over your stuff."

"Sounds good. See you in a bit." With that, Mobius slipped out of the room and headed down to the main floor where he had his last meal before departure.

Each of the four adventurers had their fun that night, focusing mostly on their own endeavors. Ithilwen went straight for the marketplace to find some food, stock up on jerky, and ask around until she found a local stallion willing to take care of her before she left. Ezio found himself in a similar situation but was instead looking for a mare or hen to take care of himself before returning to the rented room. Mobius spent much of his night singing and drinking non alcoholic beverages in the tavern at the Coral Sweep while Tritus came to visit long enough to have a meal and no longer. The dragon remained in the room for much of the night since he was by far the most reserved of the crew.

As the most responsible of them and the most compassionate, Tritus stayed awake until each of his companions returned, helping each of them into their bed while also ensuring their possessions were well protected. He acted as the keeper of their room and the guardian of the team that night.

First to return was Ithilwen. As the de-facto leader she was most interested in getting to business and not wasting too much time on the town. Of course, her chosen partner sped things up a lot, too. Once she managed to ease herself onto the stallion, he didn't last too long and their brief encounter ended within minutes. As is the case with most stallions, he offered her multiple rounds of passion but she knew she couldn't stay so opted to thank him, clean him with her tongue, and be on her way.

She burst into the room and told Tritus all about it, repeating to her companion how great it felt to have a stallion flare inflate where a canine knot was supposed to lodge within her.

Next came Mobius, who retired soon after midnight while the tavern was still bustling with activity. He loved the camaraderie and the companionship he gained by chatting with and sharing a drink with the other patrons, but he could only handle so much boisterous social interaction before he had to tap out and retire to his room and the comfort of his companions. Unlike Ithilwen he wasn't seeking physical passion that night, for he just wanted a belly full of meat and a warm bed.

He was far quieter than Ithilwen when he came in; as a far more reserved bloke he didn't want to risk waking his companions up. When he saw that Tritus was still awake and Ithilwen was passed out nude on top of her blankets, he just casually slid into his own bed and went to sleep.

The last of the adventurers to return to the room was Ezio, who got tied up in his passion with his chosen partner that night. Tied, literally, as the mare clenched down on his knot to keep them together for more than an hour longer than he'd planned to stay out. As a lover of larger women, mares especially, he had a real hard time controlling himself once her depths squeezed his member and ground against him to coax every last bit of seed out of his loins. She practically battered his pelvis and left him barely able to walk by the time she was done with him, but he couldn't have been happier.

By the time he returned to the room, only Tritus was left awake and watching over the pier through the triangular window, the cool blue moonlight draping over his dark blue body. No words were spoken between them; none were needed. Knowing that everyone had returned safely, they both went to bed and enjoyed a wonderful rest the night before their departure.

They were woken the next morning by the sound of gulls and various other seabirds singing their songs within minutes of the sun rising. In much the same way he was the last one to sleep the night before, Tritus was the first to rise and dress himself before helping the others.

"Come on, guys. Looks like morning has arrived and we don't want to miss our departure."

Before anyone else could respond, a knock came from their door. "You folks awake?" It was Avita, the captain of the ship and owner of the establishment. She was quite punctual in her rousing of the heroes, but that wasn't uncommon in seafarers.

Tritus responded. "We're getting up. Be out in ten minutes." As he glanced out the window he could see the crew prepping the Coral Sweep as birds hopped from one ship to the next, stealing garbage and making noise. It was a lovely way to start the day.

"Sounds good, see you on the pier in fifteen." With that, she headed back down the stairs and quickly retreated to the ship to join the rest of the crew.

The other three adventurers all mumbled and stumbled to their feet, quickly packing up their stuff and joining an already-prepared Tritus. Between the four of them, they were barely able to articulate their feet enough to leave the room due to how hard they partied the night before, but with the support of their friends they were able to shuffle their way to the pier where Avita waited.

"Good morning, again!" She said as one of her dock workers passed them with a heavy sack of rice over his back. "We're departing as soon as you guys get settled in, so if you need anything from town now is the time to get it."

Each of them paused to glance at each other and shrug, unsure if there was anything needed.

"Alright then, welcome to the Coral Sweep! Not the most original of ship names but Gem of the Ocean was taken." She waited for them to laugh, but then realized her joke wasn't funny so she continued. "If you want to help out with the prep, we won't say no. An extra few pairs of hands or paws or claws is always welcome, but given the price paid for your safe passage, I won't bother you further."

Tritus nodded. "I'd be more than happy to help." He then stepped past Avita. "So we just go ahead and board, now?"

"Yes sir! Go ahead and board. We can be on our way in a matter of minutes!"

Ithilwen, Ezio, and Mobius all followed Tritus up the ramp to the deck of the ship and almost immediately headed for the bannister so they could lean over the side. It was clear that they were still a little woozy from the night before and the rocking of the ship wasn't helping their disorientation.

"I think my companions may be useless, at least for a few hours while they wake." Tritus joked. "But I'll help you out. Guys, let's take our stuff below deck before you get some rest."

Once boarded, Tritus helped the others to their quarters as promised to let them all sleep on the sacks of potatoes and rice. That seemed to be the most comfortable place for them since there were no traditional bunks. It was a merchant ship, not a cruise liner. Later, the actual crew came in and equipped some hammocks to hang off the walls and mast, but only Mobius was alert enough to take advantage of this while Ithilwen and Ezio were both tuckered out to the point they couldn't be roused from sleep.

On deck, Tritus kept an eye out to see how things were done before offering his strength to the crew. Most of his aid came down to him using his strength to help carry heavy loads and food on deck while keeping his distance from the actual operation of the ship. He didn't want to get involved with the untying of the mooring lines or rigging of the sails; he knew a thing or two about sailing but not near enough to be any more than a hindrance.

Before long, the lines were released, the sails were raised, and captain Avita raised her staff from behind the helm to give the winds a bit of a kick, pushing them into the open seas to leave the Port City of Araliptian behind. Within an hour, the shore disappeared over the horizon and the next leg of their journey was officially underway.

It was then that second Lieutenant Var'Rex approached Tritus as the dragon was overlooking the ocean ahead of them, sea breeze moistening his scales.

"You don't look like a warrior. Where's your sword?" He joked. To show he was being cheeky and not actually critical, he immediately followed it up with an extension of his paw. "The name's Var'Rex. Second Lieutenant aboard this vessel. I'm to understand you and your crew are the ones that have chartered this unexpected trip."

Tritus nodded. "You could say that, yes." He then winked. "And our blades are hidden below deck. I would hope there's no reason for us to use them on our trip, at least not until we arrive."

"You are right, we hope there's no need for them but there are pirates in this region and we could be attacked. We're capable fighters if the need arises but I do think it'd be in your best interest to have your weapon at your side. Just in case." Var explained. "However, captain Avita is great with her storm magic and could likely dissuade most pirate ships from attacking."

"I will keep that in mind. I should be waking my team within the hour anyway. They've slept long enough and it's not befitting an adventurer to sleep on the job." Tritus declared while glancing back to the captain, curious about the storm magic. "But tell me about Avita's abilities. I'm quite interested to see what she can do that's powerful enough to dissuade pirates."

Var scoffed a bit. "Trust me, you don't. She wields the staff of storms, which allows her control over lighting, wind, and the flow of water all at once. She can localize a storm over an enemy ship that destroys their mast and leaves them stranded on the wreckage. It's truly a terrible sight."

"But they're pirates, wouldn't they deserve it?" Tritus countered.

"Aye. In most situations they would, but there are nonviolent pirates out there - especially sailing the Ijimulian - who just want treasure and have no interest in ransacking other ships. She'll take any pirates out regardless of their intent." Var sighed, shaking his head. "In many ways she's not wrong. The advent of peaceful pirates is still relatively new and the moniker still carries a sense of dread and violence alongside it, so most people still associate pirates with the rapists and criminals of the past."

That did make sense to Tritus, who nodded in agreement. "Well then I suppose I don't want to see what she can do, but I also hope that neither Ithilwen nor Ezio get wind of what that staff can do. Both were noted treasure hunters before they started doing hero for hire work, and the allure of a relic that can control storms might be enough to draw them back into that old life."

"I doubt it." Var said with a good-natured shake of his head. "I've not gotten any indication from either of them that they're the kind to betray those who help them. Maybe foolish enough to get caught up in a mess due to their desire to party, but not disloyal."

"Perhaps you're right. They don't seem to be the type, but I've seen greater people fall farther for less. That staff sounds powerful enough to me. We shall see; might be best to not tempt them." He then thought a bit longer. "Might not want to tell Mobius, either. He's got an affinity for staves of all sorts. And you know what? I confess I'm quite fond of magic myself, so perhaps I'm just talking out from under my tail with all this. I know I'm not going to make a move on her staff; I should trust my team with that same level of honor."

Var shrugged before stepping away, ready to go below deck. "Wouldn't do any of you good in the first place. The staff itself amplifies her own powers and likely wouldn't mesh well with any of your abilities. She made it herself, specifically meant to resonate with her own ademane. Anyway, I have some things to do; I'll see you around."

Tritus offered a salute. "Aye. I'm not going anywhere." Part of him considered asking Avita to join them on the island when they got to their destination - a storm ruler could be useful against a magma dragon - but he opted not to bother asking. She wasn't paid for that and he hadn't taken the time to get to know her better. As such, he felt it was best to not badger her with the details or requests.

All around him, the various crew members milled about, making adjustments to the sails while also conveying orders to and from the crow's nest and the helm. Deck-lads were regularly going above and below deck, putting out requests and bringing up food to the crew before taking bowls back down. This made Tritus curious to see what sort of food was being served so he followed one of the smaller kobolds below deck again, where he met up with the ship's cook and Mobius, who was eagerly helping with the preparation of the vegetables.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here!" Tritus declared with a grin. "And helping the cook no less!"

Mobius trilled, stiff tail flicking just the tip. "I do love to cook, and this gal knows her spices!"

The cook herself was a unique-looking dragon hybrid with a thick bone plate on her forehead that swept back into a mane of slick, wispy hair and two long two-toned feathers between her ears and horns. She had scales like a giraffe and wings like a newborn dragon and a thick tail that was wrapped around a nearby beam that kept her in place as the ship rocked on the waves. "The name's Serena." She said, extending her hand with the soup ladle in it.

Tritus happily shook it and smiled. "What are you making for our journey?"

"Nothing special for now. Just a thick and hearty ulokar vegetable soup with carrots, celery, potatoes, spices, corn, and some blended meat stock and tomato paste. I try to keep salt content down and meat content high, but that doesn't always work on longer trips. Luckily our excursion will be less than a week so I can focus more on flavor than longevity." After sweeping her hair back, she chirped at them. "And Mobius here has been helping me with prepping the food, so I am happy with my soup."

"Here, try some." Mobius offered as he grabbed a spoon and dipped it into the tall, half-filled pot to capture some of the seasonings and broth. "It's delicious!"

Luckily for Tritus, his maw was prepared to deal with hotter food and the bubbling, boiling broth did little to dissuade him. As he slurped it up, he was shocked to see that, indeed, the soup was quite good! Far better than he expected on a merchant ship! "You're right! That's pretty good! What's your secret?"

Serena swished her furred tail behind her. "No secret, just a good recipe and a belief that ship food doesn't need to be crap and can be just as good as shore food! I want my crew mates to be as comfortable and happy on board the Coral Sweep as they are at port, that way there's no remorse for when we go on longer trips." She leaned in close, whispering. "And I use ulokar meat mixed with chicken and beef, so it's got a wider flavour profile than just one meat and veg combo."

"There it is! Good stuff!" Tritus said with a thumbs up. "May I have a bowl? This is about when I'd usually have breakfast and I could totally eat." He licked his lips as he glanced over into the pot.

"Sure! You can both have some!" She glanced over to Mobius and prodded at his shoulder. "I don't need any help, so you two can get out of my kitchen!" She winked to make sure they knew she was being silly instead of serious before using a ladle to fill a bowl for each of them. The requested two more to take back to Ezio and Ithilwen; a great thing to wake up to.

Both Tritus and Mobius said their goodbyes and left the kitchen, returning to the cargo hold where their other companions were expected to still be sleeping.

Of course, neither Ithilwen nor Ezio were the type to sleep the day away. Sure, both were out late the night prior enjoying the pleasures of the flesh and the late night marketplace, but that didn't mean they were incapable of waking in the morning and having some fun on their own while their companions thought they were sleeping.

Soon after Mobius woke and slipped out of the cargo hold to go and enjoy some sleep on one of the hammocks that the crew set up, Ithilwen roused from her slumber and poked Ezio until he woke up with her. Once he had rubbed the sleep from his eyes, his cat-nap over, she prodded him some more.

"Psst, hey, you awake?" Ithilwen asked, voice low to ensure nobody outside heard her.

"Y-yeah, why?" Ezio responded, still groggy. "How long was I out?"

She slid off the sack of rice and crouched down next to him. "Less than an hour, I'd say." She then slid her hand up his thigh and gave the base of his tail a bit of a squeeze. "Last night you said you were available for fun. Does that still apply or did I miss my chance?"

His eyes grew wide as he stirred in place, sheath swelling a bit at her touch. "Yeah I think I got another round in me. Quickie, though. Who knows when someone could come back."

"Good point. Come on." She crawled up onto him, every motion slow and deliberate to ensure she didn't make much in the ways of noise. "Keep yer maw shut, too. Last thing I need is some howling fool attracting the crew." As she warned him, she lifted up her green tunic to show that she wasn't wearing undergarments and that her vulva were throbbing and hungry for him.

Naturally, Ezio couldn't help himself. His member swelled inside his sheath, forcing the ruby red tip to poke out the end as he unbuckled his pants. In one fluid motion he yanked his garment down and peeled back the throbbing flesh to expose himself, leaving only the knot inside while he aimed the rest upward to grind against her slit.

Ithilwen wasn't in the mood for foreplay, so she pulled herself up and grabbed his shaft, forcing its tip to slide between her lips as she descended upon him, taking every bit of his exposed length inside her. The warmth of his throbbing flesh mixed with their natural lubricants to caress her walls as she started to gyrate her hips on top of him, free hand reaching back between her legs to force his sheath to pop off his knot and give her more to consume.

Since Ezio wasn't fully hard yet - or at least his knot wasn't fully inflated - it took little to no effort to squeeze beyond her lips and pop into her, a sudden swell of his bulging lobes locking them together. He was quite shocked at how easily his girth slid through her lips to be swallowed up by her sex, but she did have a go at a stallion the night before so it made sense that she was still a little tender from such an encounter. Furthermore, such an unexpected accommodation did little to keep him from curling his toes in pleasure and pumping her full of his seed one spurt at a time.

"There ya go." She said as she stroked his cheek and gave his ear a playful tug. "Now I've got a bit of stallion and a bit of canine in me." She swayed her hips to make the combined seeds slosh about inside her, emphasizing her point. Then, before Ezio could say a word, she eased down and nuzzled into his chest, arms folded over his pectoral muscles while her tunic draped over them, covering the point where they tied together as she drifted back off into sleep. Clearly she just wanted some fun.

Ezio wasn't in the mood to resist, so he shifted in place to best ensure his own comfort before finding himself lost in the moment. He wanted this the night before and had even gone so far as to find an equine partner to substitute so he didn't have the energy to give her a full session, which ended up working well for him since she had already drifted off back into sleep, heaving on his chest and breathing on his neck fur. While tied together, he considered patting her between the ears before giving up and resting on the bag of rice that he'd called his bed for the morning's nap.

As he was about to drift off into sleep, the banging of doors nearby woke him. As he stumbled in place, still tied to Ithilwen with his cock swelling inside her, he rolled off the sack and turned to the door where he was met by Tritus and Mobius each with two bowls of soup. Ithilwen had woken up as well and was on her back beneath him, casually glancing up at the two scaled intruders.

"Excuse me, we're busy." She said with a yawn, not fully absorbing the situation.

Mobius snorted a bit as he tried his best to not laugh. "You're on a merchant ship, I'm pretty sure nobody is all that concerned about a bit of mating." He then reached out with his bowl of soup. "We got you some breakfast. It's pretty good and I helped make it!" He barely acknowledged the fact that both Ithilwen and Ezio were tied together, knotted.

However, nobody wished to dwell on the awkwardness of the situation for long. Instead, they all shifted in place until all four of them were sitting together in a circle with Ithilwen on Ezio's lap and the other two on stools near the door, where all four enjoyed their soup and talked about what was to come next. Their plans, though simple and straightforward, needed room to be elaborated upon.

With the help of a map they were able to discern where they would be landing, where the entrances to the volcanic caves were located, the best pathways through the jungles, and possible escape routes if they ended up being chased. Tritus and Mobius worked together to find ways to combine what magic they possessed to maximize the defensive capabilities against intense lava and fire spells - since that was what they expected to experience the most - while also rehearsing ways to negotiate and discuss matters with the magma dragon Asura once they arrived.

One thing that Ithilwen and Ezio often forgot was that this was meant mostly as reconnaissance and not intended to be a hunt or assassination. The primary goal for them was to figure out what was going on and act accordingly. If they could end the conflict without combat, then that was preferred.

They were prepared for a fight, but were hoping for the situation to not escalate in such a way. That was, after all, why the King and Queen of Arrenthen had hired adventurers instead of politicians.

From that point forth, much of their trip was about as smooth as one could hope. Once Ezio and Ithilwen parted ways - physically, at least - they all dispersed among the crew to learn more about how to operate the ship, how to purify water for drinking, what the different nautical terms meant, and even practiced crossing blades with the other ship mates in case of pirate attack. Ezio was the only one not shocked at how talented the crewmates proved to be with their rapiers and cutlasses, for he was the only one of the four who regularly dealt with pirates back when Ithilwen first met him.

In a brisk moment of near panic while all four were on deck and lounging, Ithilwen raised a bit of a ruckus about the arrival of an absolutely massive warship that crested the horizon. This ship had to be at least ten times the size of the Coral Sweep and looked like it could have sailed over the moderately sized ship without much consideration. Only once Var'Rex calmed her was it explained that the ship she saw was the Gem of the Ijimulian - the royal ship of the King and Queen - returning from a trip south with all sorts of gems and goodies for the royal family and other citizens of the capital.

Such a massive beast of a ship made her weak at the knees, for she was eager to 'volunteer' aboard a ship of that size some day. The idea of being in a royally funded vessel like that and being given a kick start back into her treasure hunting days made her moist. Or maybe that was just some of Ezio's essence trickling out of her. She couldn't be sure, but it excited her nonetheless and the prospect of once again being smothered in gems and jewels and relics made her happy.

Beyond that encounter, the rest of the trip was rather uneventful. Tritus continued to help out with the rigging and sails as best he could, Mobius helped Serena with the cooking, Ithilwen did what she could to gather information and Ezio did the same. While adventure was literally waiting for them over the horizon they couldn't help but be taken by the majesty of the ocean around them and the mastery the crew had over their ship. Avita's storm magic came in handy, as she was regularly using her skills to fill the sails with wind while ensuring the clouds above didn't dare threaten their journey.

The next morning as they woke, the group was met with a bit of a shock as they came to the deck one at a time. Tritus was first, as he often made a point to be the first to rise and the last to fall in any given day. When he emerged he was shocked to see a thick black plume of smoke billowing up over the horizon to create a swirling cloud in the distance. They weren't expected to reach the volcanic island for another day so it seemed odd to see the ebony plume high in the sky from so far away. However, when he asked Avita about it, she assured him that was their destination. Not only would they be there early, but the smoke coming out was so thick and permeating that they could see it already.

Ithilwen was next and she went through the exact same thought process as she emerged, curious then a little mortified at just how massive the growing cloud was to see it from so far away. Mobius and Ezio were the last to wake, but not by long even though they had a similar bout of curiosity.

Once they had each gone through their own form of acceptance, they focused the rest of their morning on more planning and strategy rather than the help they had been offering up to this point. Learning that they'd arrive a half day early meant they had to fast-track their plans to make landfall and deal with the issue. Furthermore, they were informed only after learning this that another issue would be stacked upon their existing problems.

Avita made a point to remind them that she wouldn't be able to get close to the island to let them off at the beach. As it turned out, the huge pillar of smoke indicated the volcano was on the brink of eruption and they couldn't risk having a flaming ball of magma melting through the hull of the ship. As such, they'd be 'dropping them off' in the ship's tender a full kilometre away from shore, and that they wouldn't be sticking around for long. She also made sure to be clear that this was not an act of cowardice but one of self preservation; as she put it, neither she nor her crew could escort them back to Port Araliptian if they were all dead and drowned among the fishes of the depths of the sea.

Though this was quite the setback, Ithilwen knew better than to argue and accepted their terms.

Later that day when the island came into view, Tritus took point and made en effort to get the team in the right mood to sail ashore as they got equipped and prepared the ship's Tender. When they got close enough to the island, Ithilwen, Ezio, and Mobius all got on the tiny boat while Tritus said his potential farewells to the crew that had brought them here.

"I thank you for your service." He said with a salute. "Our coin is still below deck in the event we don't survive the endeavour. Please disperse it among your crew in the event of our passing." Such generosity likely wasn't the smartest and Tritus knew that, but if it was going to happen, it was going to happen. Not a lot he could do and might as well inform them of what awaited them; they weren't pirates and had a significant connection with the royal family so they were likely trustworthy.

Still, the spectre of doom grew like a black cloud above the volcano as they prepared to depart. The island itself seemed pretty simple aside from the volcano itself, which was belching a never-ending pillar of smoke into the skies as small bits of rock and magma sputtered from the summit to dot the landscape in orange and red.

"I wish you the best of luck." Avita said with a solemn vow. "We will be just beyond the range of the eruption for the duration of your stay. You will need to row to us, to be clear."

Var stepped up next to the captain. "I wish we could help more."

Tritus nodded in understanding. "It's not a problem. We're trained for this and we should be fine. Alas, we must go!" He then leapt over the side of the ship to land in the tender alongside his team with a big splash. After finding his balance he crouched down and grabbed both oars to paddle. As the largest one, he was able to get the most speed, or so he thought.

Within seconds of him taking control, Ithilwen stopped him. "I have magic for this. The oars are made of wood, I'm able to control flora. I've got this." She then grabbed one of the gems out of her satchel to amplify her power before remotely taking control of the oars, moving them with a speed that had them quickly accelerating across the choppy waves towards the beach.

The members of the ship's crew waved as the adventurers rapidly made their way to shore, sure to show their support every step of the way. On the boat, no words were spoken since the distant groans of the volcano and the steady splash of water would have made communication challenging.

Upon landing on the beach, Tritus hopped out and grabbed the hull of the boat, dragging it inland and wrapping a rope around both it and the trunk of a nearby palm tree. "Alright. We landed exactly where we needed to. A great start. However, we have a lot of work to do. Come on, let's go!" He pushed through the underbrush and used his sword to slash at the foliage, making a route for his companions to follow as he kept an ear out for the sound of hissing and crackling as embers landed nearby. Above all else, they needed to be concerned about the persistent danger of falling magma.

Next to him, Ithilwen grabbed her blade and helped him out, chopping at the leaves and vines to best ensure they were able to make great time en route to the summit. While they were considerate of the wildlife and the status of the local flora, they also knew that the faster they arrived at their destination the better the chances that they put a stop to the erupting volcano and ultimately saved the rest of the inhabitants. Conservation was not a priority, for if they failed then all would be ended.

"Hey, Ithilwen, why don't you just use your geomancy skills to part the jungle?" Mobius suggested. "I mean, I know you can influence them, so why not do that?"

She stared at him with an empty gaze. "I, uh, didn't think about it. One moment." She reached into her satchel once again to get a second gem, this one not consumed yet like the one she used to row the boat ashore. As it glowed, the ferns and foliage and vines ahead of them all twisted and bent as wide as they could go, forming a nearly perfect pathway between the dry ground and the thick canopy, a pathway that they happily used to pick up the pace once they no longer had to worry about hacking at the leaves.

All together, they sped up to the point of nearly jogging, clanging of armour and knocking of staves accenting their every step. Through the jungle, past the rock cliffs, around the lake, and up the foothills of the mountain they went, expending a significant portion of the gem in the process. Luckily, Ithilwen had more than a dozen of the supercharged relics in her bag and wouldn't run out of geomancy any time soon. Still, they had a lot to do once they reached the steep, rocky incline half way up the volcano. As they craned their neck, they saw that there were trees growing horizontally out the side.

"W-wow." Mobius marvelled. "Does this mean the volcano grew this big in the past few days?"

Ezio nodded as he took the first steps, leading the crew up the rocks and dirt. "Yeah. Must have double or tripled in height in the last week, or else these trees would have dislodged and fell by now. Mind your step, the roots may not be strong enough to hold you."

Mobius hopped up to the first few bits of tree that were jutting out from the slope only to freeze in place when dirt and rocks started crumbling around him. He knew instantly that this wouldn't be safe for them, as he was the smallest and lightest of the crew and even he didn't feel safe.

This is when Ithilwen pulled Ezio off the roots and got Mobius to follow. "Okay, so we need to have a better plan. This slope and raised land have definitely thrown off the map a bit and we need to adjust. I'm sure that, if the volcano hadn't grown, we'd be able to reach the entrance to the caves within a half hour, but having to climb up like that is going to greatly limit our mobility and slow us down. Tritus, are you capable of flying us up there, one by one?"

The dragon rubbed his chin. "In theory, yeah. Problem is, if I get pelted with even a few drips of raining magma then I could lose my stability and crash. Plus, that kind of injury takes forever to heal even with the aid of magics."

"So that's a no?" Ezio chimed in, glancing back to the volcano's steep slope behind him. He felt like he could dive and jump up with relative ease given his deft feet and rogue like nature, but he also knew that wouldn't do anything to help his companions out and if the dragon attacked him in the caves there'd be no chance he'd win in a fight. "We need a new plan."

While rummaging through his bag of staves, Mobius got a brilliant idea. "Ithilwen, you're the key again." He started, pausing for effect as they turned to look at him. "You control vegetation and trees and roots and vines and ferns and all that, but you're even better at manipulating live stuff, right?"

"Yeah, why..." Ithilwen started, then quickly picked up on where Mobius was going. "So you're saying I can turn this entire slope into a more easily climbable obstacle course by using my magic to anchor the trees deeper in the rock and dirt long enough for us to climb!"

"Not quite but I like your idea better!" Mobius countered with a nervous laugh. "We'll go with that. So go ahead, and do your thing, because-" He was interrupted by the sudden burst and sizzle of a single ball of molten rock falling through the trees and landing in between the lot of them, boiling the water in the leaves and sputtering specks of dirt in all directions.

That was taken as the last boot to the tail for them all, who knew that time was running out quickly. Ithilwen turned and raised her hand to the steep incline with two gems wrapped in her fingers, eyes closed and chest heaving with each breath as she focused her geomancy on the roots and trunks of the trees. She was consciously weaving the rigid material deep in the cracks of the stone and dirt that surrounded them, widening each tree's grip on the soil to ensure they didn't fall when pressure was put on them - at least not immediately.

Knowing that she needed to test every foothold, every loop of exposed tree root, every jutting rock, and every vine herself, she went first with the gems wrapped around her wrist via bandages to ensure she continued to cast her spells while also maintaining her dexterity.

Up she went, three or four steps at a time, each one shaking and tugging to ensure the steps were sturdy enough for the others, especially Tritus. Progress was slow but steady as they hugged the wall with their bellies and struggled to ensure that no falling chunks of magma struck them, for they knew that if they were hit they would not be able to dodge or evade or heal without risking the lives of the others. Fortunately, they were close enough to the summit of the volcano that very little of the molten rock landed anywhere near them; most of it shot out much farther, forming an umbrella over the island. Not a perfect plan, but the best they had.

About half way up, Ithilwen stopped to ask Tritus if he could glide back down to sea level with at least one of them in his arms in the event of a catastrophic injury caused by the falling lava. He assured her that he could probably grab all three of them, but their weight would hold him back enough that he wouldn't be able to make it to the beach on his own.

They all shared a solemn moment of contemplation before continuing on back up the mountain.

Ithilwen kept her gems glowing, leaping from one handhold to the next with increasingly reckless abandon. After enough time without experiencing one single error in judgement, she felt confident enough to no longer spend so much time testing every root and rock for stability. In her mind she was concerned this would come back to bite her on the haunches, but she was also the type of person who didn't mind putting herself at risk if it meant her allies could move on. One of her most defining traits as a leader.

It wasn't until the group made it to the cave's opening that they saw the error in their ways. Sure, it was open and easy enough to enter with a maw as big as a building but due to the raised nature of this part of the island, its gullet was facing downward at an angle, meaning there were no more trees or vines to manipulate to better utilize as footholds.

Given her quick-thinking nature, she used the gems to carve out slots in the rock, letting the pebbles and dust fall down over her companions as she called back to explain what she was doing. "This debris is from me, don't worry, we're not in danger!" She declared, then internally added, I hope.

The others trusted her enough to keep going up into the open maw of the cave only to be rocked by the deep, earthy rumbles of a quake shaking the world around them. When they looked up to glance past the cave they saw that a thick belch of smoke had billowed out from the volcano's summit followed by a cloud of rock and ash that spread out in all directions, blanketing the volcano's foothills!

Sensing this may have been the wave of molten rock to catch them, they all scurried up as fast as they could go into the cave, knowing that they were safe inside. Given the new shape of the cavern with its only opening facing down, they knew that any falling lava would not hit them. This did not factor in the oven-hot air that was percolating inside the cavern.

Once they were inside enough to see that the ground was levelling out enough to walk normally, they were greeted with an image that struck fear into the hearts of all four of them. Just beyond the maw of the cave, it seemed like the entire inside of the volcano was completely disconnected from the outside, treating the external rock and vegetation as a skin as the inner rock shifted and writhed like muscle, bleeding black and orange and red magma from between every crack to lubricate where the inner and outer rock met.

They stood in shock, not sure what to do or where to go. The disconnected parts of the mountain created a wall, stopping them from going forward. In that moment even Tritus considered diving out of the cave and calling it quits. They could go no further, and they had no information to guide them around the island to another entrance to the caverns inside. That was, until the shifting rock wall revealed the passage leading deeper as well as the vast open caves of the island's volcano.

Inside, a bubbling mass of molten rock boiled and sputtered in all directions against the wall, with a thick black smock billowing up out of it. The whole mass of liquid magma was like a stew, with bigger rocks shifting around inside as the flows turned black and mixed back in with the glowing parts.

Dancing around the edge of the bowl was a black dragon with gashes in his scales that revealed a similar glow to the magma in the volcano's cave. He was hopping from one location around the bubbling mass to the next, blowing a black flame into the magma every step of the way. His motions seemed aggressive, violent, and hasty as he agitated the magma.

To the eyes of Ithilwen, Tritus, Mobius, and Ezio, it appeared as though the dragon was stoking the flame, encouraging the volcano to erupt by heating the magma within it. Sensing this, they all grabbed for their weapons while Tritus erected a spell to keep them as cool as they could be. This was it, the moment of truth; time to take out the threat!

In that brief window of time, Asura turned to glare at them, glowing eyes narrowing as he roared with all his might. "Leave here!" He bellowed. "Leave here or the island will consume you!"

The adventurers stood fast, shoulder to shoulder with weapons at the ready and partners at their sides. They were going nowhere and had a mark to take out.

"Fine!" Roared Asura as he leapt towards them, bounding off the side of the volcanic bowl to land before them, standing tall as another explosive burst of smoke and ash erupted behind him. He leaned down close and roared with all his might, claws digging into the cave's floor and peeling back flakes of volcanic rock. "I said, leave! Now!"

When they didn't move, he lunged forward, maw agape and glowing gullet ready to engulf them. Naturally, they stood their ground and refused to back down as the two sides clashed with an explosive impact, their magic and flame further agitating the boiling stew of magma in the volcano.