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Chapter Twelve: Seperation

I was beginning to resent this plan of mine. I was already way out of my comfort zone, but now it was getting absurd. Just looking like Kaiber was enough to make my skin crawl, thankfully I wouldn't have to look like him all the time. I could switch back and forth between the Icarin illusion, and the Kaiber one. I just had to bide my time until Alt's goons picked up on me. Either that or I slipped by long enough to make it to E'cill Miear all by myself.

What followed was a good few hours of listening to Kaiber's, thorough, retelling of his life story, making mental notes on names, faces and everything else, just in case I ran into someone he knew. I was rather surprised that he was on a first name basis with one of the Princes of the Sovereignty. Hopefully I wouldn't make his acquaintance. It was getting on in the afternoon by now, we were still close to the shore, skirting up along it, to wear the crossing would be the shortest. I was just about to ask something, when the door creaked open and a familiar sooty black face popped into view. Digger. I stood upright immediately, scowling at him, watching as his ears went lazy and he grew flustered.

“Kaiber sir is so pretty looking…" he muttered. I could feel my face getting red from embarrassment and disgust. But Kaiber simply burst out laughing, well, chuckling at least. This only served to confuse the black vermian, who stepped into the room and then looked between me and Kaiber rapidly. His face growing more and more confused, and even scared to a point.

“Relax Digger, it's just an illusion, a trick. Remember? I told you we were going to play a big trick?" Kaiber said, calming Digger down some. I sat back down, and huffed, going back to my thoughts and the question I had been about to ask before the interruption.

“Bit of a halfwit he is huh" I remarked. I got particularly nasty scowls from both of them. At that moment the ship lurched to one side, throwing us all off balance. Kaiber found his footing quickly, I knew the look in his eye well, alertness.

“Is just the water yes"? Digger said. As he pulled himself up as well. The ship settled with a groan, a rumble from somewhere below told me all I needed to know.

“No, just a whale, probably got curious." I stated. Smirking at both Kaiber's and Diggers confused looks. I wasn't really in the mood to explain to them. So they did not both to ask, Kaiber instead sitting down again.

“He's not a halfwit. Belmont told me they found him on the steps leading up to the keep, head dashed open on the stones. He's still there, just, muddled up a bit." Kaiber said. to Diggers visible joy. The black lizard nodding with gusto.

“Yes yes! I was climbing the stairs, to see the big fort, then, 'crack!' then black…" he chimed in. tilting his head down a bit to show off the long jagged scar that ran from his brow to the back of his neck. I did not really care. My head was to full, to loud to devote anything to this little tale. The ship groaned again, Kaiber and Digger both flinching, it was a good reaction to have, we were in dangerous waters after all.

“We should get this going, before the shore gets too far away. Just make sure Emet doesn't see you." I said. Standing and slipping on my belt, which was now rather large, so I had to do some tinkering to get it to fit, stowing the Doppler charm I had in one of my many belt pouches, safe and sound. Kaiber nodded and stood as well, slumping off most of his clothes, save a light brigadier tunic and his little cape. Digger than took from his own knapsack some clothes he'd stashed away, handing them off to me with a smile.

“...be safe Scarlet." Kaiber said. Just before he slipped out the door, not looking back over his shoulder. I heard him whisper a thank you as well, but said nothing in response. I wanted to, but I couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. The ship groaned again as I began sifting through the clothes, picking out select garments to wear, and extras to stow away for when I made landfall and split off from Emet. The ship sayed a bit, causing me to sway with it, but I kept my footing. Going over the plan one last time in my head. Cross the Frostmoore sea, follow the coast down from the sulfur mountains, make landfall at St'Egilias, catch a trade caravan to Volga river, cross through Mayoran to the south valley and meet up with a captain to take us to E'cill Meiar, find Alt, and get answers. Remembering to ditch Emet along the way and not get caught by the Naga, or pirates, or get eaten by some monster. It was a far fetched plan, stupid and dangerous. By all rights I should have bailed long ago, but I was committed now. No more small plays, it was time for the big game stuff. No more shadowy stuff, no more running. I let out a long breath and paced for a bit, the ship groaning softly.

“Time to dance…" I muttered to myself. Reaching for the door, only to be thrown sideways as the ship lurched violently to its port side. I curled into a ball by instinct, as I was showered in unsecured cargo, barrels, furniture and more. Pain shot through my body as I was battered, there was no way it could have been a whale that time. Rocks perhaps? A shelf or sand bar. No, it was another ship. I could hear the footsteps on deck, rushed and quick, I could hear the timbers groan and scream from somewhere else.

With a growl, I tunneled my way out from under the debris, scrabbling to get back on my feet. Cursing whatever was going on. Pirates or some such most likely, raiders from the north, Greyson had warned us they might be an issue. Then I heard it, that familiar voice, sickening, sweet, hollow, like a snake. Larsson.

“Search the hold, I want her and the lizard found. Kill anyone else."his voice was muffled by the deck, but it was him alright. The bastard had tracked me down somehow. I heard footsteps rushing down into the hold, I snatched up my daggers ready for a fight. But where was Emet? He should have been blasting lightning around by now, surely he was not dead already. Had someone snuck aboard to dispatch him beforehand? To many questions and concerns, I hated that.

The first guy was some lanky fellow with cuts and scars all over his face. He shoved the door to the small storage room wide, pushing back a lot of the debris, but he'd had to have thrown his weight into it, so he was off balanced. I made my strike. I ducked out past him, my dagger cutting his gut open from one end to the other, He went down behind me, grabbing at his entrails as I now faced down a much bulkier thug. He made a lung for me, to grab me, I sidestepped easily, opened up the back end of his arm as he barreled past me. He howled out, clutching his arm as it began to weep blood. I grinned, being Kaiber had some advantages, I felt much more spry and I was a good foot and a half shorter, so it was far easier to keep balanced.

I watched, waiting for another attack, the thug before me made no solid move. Sensing something was off, I quickly jumped to the side, behind a nearby post. Sure enough, there the bastard was, Larsson. Only, he was not as I remembered. His left arm was now metal, ornate, plated, but I could see gears within turning and spinning.

“Pft...I really do loath having to get my hands dirty with you filth, honestly can you just give up and die already. Please, this place stinks." he sneered. I backed away as he closed in, the big fellow behind him, and two more following that. I readied myself for an uphill fight, possibly my last. It was a good plan we had, a stupid one, but good nonetheless. I gritted my teeth, raised my daggers and spat on the pompus fuck. Larsson scowled back, raising his metal arm. Then, in a flash, my vision turned red. I felt heat, unimaginable heat, and watched as a crackling bolt of lighting streamed past me. Striking Larssons outstretched metal arm.

I turned, stumbling away, clutching my face and gritting my teeth in pain. It was Emet, hidden away in the hold, had he been here the whole time, had he listened in on us? I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but dammit. He knew!

“Commendable effort dear Paladin. But alas, futile. Please die now." Larsson yelled. His voice straining over the thunderous noise of lightning. I turned back to see him just standing there, palm outstretched, unaffected, stood in defiance as the lightning assaulted his arm relentlessly.

“To the nigh with you, wretch"! Emet spat. I looked to him one more time. He nodded to me and I watched as his spare hand raised toward the heavens. I knew what was coming.

In that one moment, I smiled as I saw Larssons face twist into that realisation of what was about to happen. That shocked look was so sweet to me. I relished it, until the searing bolt of lightning fell from the heavens and I was tossed into the cold waters, amidst a shower of fire, splinters and screams.

Content.