Fandom The Dragon Prince: Deep Trouble [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

Callum was not good with that promise. At least, not immediately, and Rayla made a show of it by groaning again, and tilted her head towards Soren. “So, muscles?” She sounded almost defeated as she said it.

“Muscles!” he chimed in, “so, okay, I know you don’t eat meat, so I’ve been thinking of alternatives….”

Lethe chuckled at their conversation of protest, but focused on Callum’s question. She had certainly been turned away from other arcanum after The Incident, “I was,” she said, “but lately, trying to learn Deep Magic…I think I want to try pursuing it again. If I’m going to understand the hypothetical source, I should try to understand everything it feeds into.”

Although….

No, she wouldn’t think about humoring dark magic again.

She knew exactly how that could be used against her.

“You two could learn together! You both have the sky arcanum, maybe you could pursue the next one, together,” Ezran suggested.

“Maybe….” Lethe wasn’t sure how well that would work, but, she hadn’t put much time into learning them.

~***~

As soon as the paperweight was thrown, all humor in Finnegrin’s expression left him. A storm came over his features, and when she put her hands on the desk, he reached across it and grabbed her wrists – and pulled them off the desk so she’d have little choice but to fall upon it, as he twisted her wrists so her palm was up towards the ceiling in his hands, thumbs pressing down on her wrists with the threat of more pain if she struggled.

“Oh, love, you really enjoy adding to your debt, and it was almost clear. Then you had to go and break something of mine,” the paperweight was indeed broken, made only of shell. It had shattered.

It was one of Shelley’s old shells.

“I never forced your affections, nor would I force them in my bed, love, but if you’re going to protest that much, there is another room,” and he walked around the desk, still holding her wrists and pressing them together as he moved them over and away from the desk, to drag her along with him, “down in the brig. They even come with nice wrist warmers for you.”

Which she would not be getting out of anytime soon.

 

[cleopat]

Callum gave Soren and Rayla an apologetic smile before he continued his conversation with Lethe. “Don’t worry, if you want to pursue the next one on your own, that’s totally fine with me.” He didn’t want her to feel like she had to do anything with him!

But Callum was interested in learning a little more from her. If she had anything she could teach him that would help him with the sky arcanum. There was so much to learn!

He looked down at Bait before he lifted the glow toad and placed him in his lap, which the glow toad only protested with a croak before settling down, satisfied.

“But I think there are some things I would like to learn, if you don’t mind. Or we can even try to look into Deep Magic together!” Was that something he could do? Maybe! It was worth trying, as even Lethe didn’t know too much about it. But if he could learn Deep Magic, then maybe there would be an even easier way to kill Aaravos.

~~~

Willow knew she had fucked up before Finnegrin even retaliated.

She was too slow in her anger to move before he grabbed her, and she landed on the desk with an ‘oof.’ She at first tried to pull her wrists out of his grasp, but with the strength he held and silent promise of more pain, she stopped and accepted her fate.

Her anger dissipated, but in its place, apprehension and slight fear took hold. But as he pulled her up and along with him, she wondered what situation would be better. Forced to share his bed, or manacled in the brig for who knew how long.

In complete isolation.

“Wait,” she pleaded, “wait, wait, wait.” The words spilled from her lips in her desperation of stopping the brig idea. “I’ll stay here.” Anywhere but the brig. “I won’t protest anymore.” Complain? Maybe a little, especially when Finnegrin acted too smug.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe didn’t really have an arcanum she was focusing on, so she shook her head at Callum’s suggestion of working on her own. It wasn’t necessary, and she was willing to follow him, and help him, wherever she could. “If I had a preference, I’d be pursuing it,” she noted.

He was interested in Deep Magic. ‘Did you forget?’ the ties to Dark Magic it had – or rather, that Dark Magic had to it, had turned him from it before. She wouldn’t remind him on the back of Zubeia.

She’d remind him later, when it was safe to ask him what happened with dark magic. When he could talk about it.

“I don’t mind helping you where I can, Callum. Or even helping you with Deep Magic, although I think we’re going to need to have a conversation about that,” she didn’t care about talking in front of the others, but there was usually a particular…judgment that those who had never tasted dark magic held.

That wouldn’t create a safe space for her and Callum to talk.

Zubeia dipped lower in the sky, and Lethe looked out over her body.

“We’re almost there,” Zubeia’s voice boomed back to them, “I will be leaving you near the tidepools.”

“Okay – thank you, Zubeia,” Ezran said, pleased, as the descent began. Flying on a dragon definitely made things a lot faster!

~***~

Finnegrin did not stop moving. Her pleas did nothing as he pulled her outside of his office. Oh no, no, he wasn’t about to change his mind, his temper still hot as he considered whether or not he’d be able to repair the shell, or if he’d even want to repair the shell.

He’d see the cracks in it, no matter what he did.

“You made your decision, love,” he continued in that cloyingly sweet tone as he dragged her onto the deck and made his way towards the stairs, “don’t worry, I’ll come check on ye in the morning. You’ll need unbound to do your chores, after all,” and they’d be at sea by then, with nowhere for her to consider running away towards.

Down into the depths of the ship he pulled her.

“Perhaps then you’ll have truly reconsidered what you’ve done, seeing as you broke dear Shelley’s first shell,” he wanted her to know it was actually something, and not just…well, nothing. Not that he hadn’t thrown people in the Brig for less.

He wasn’t sure why he wanted her to know there was any legitimacy to his rage. His rage was always sound, always reasonable, after all – but this? Well, this was a deeper sort of rage, he supposed.

Perhaps all of her pebbles and stones were mere meaningless trinkets, but this had not been, as he approached the empty cells.

 

[cleopat]

“Huh?” Callum had been distracted by the landscape coming up on them, but he realized what Lethe had said to him. “Oh yeah! Sure, we can talk about that.”

He definitely forgot about the dark magic connection in the chaos of the last few days.

“Yeah, thank you Zubeia!” Soren said, looking over her side to watch the ground grow closer. “Whenever we need a little pick-me-up, we can always count on you!”

Callum smiled and rolled his eyes, and Zubeia landed on a grassy cliff that overlooked the tidepools. From their location, he could see all sorts of Xadian creatures around the tide pools, including some birds that looked rather large from their distance. He could only imagine their true size when they get closer.

“I wish you all the best of luck,” Zubeia said as she prepared to leave.

Callum turned back to her, “Again, thank you for taking us! We appreciate it.”

~~~

Willow’s desperation only grew as he did not relent in his decision. And she began to doubt that he would, when he told her exactly what she had broken. Oh, she knew she fucked up.

“Please, I’m sorry,” she begged. When was the last time she begged? When was the last time she felt the pinpricks of tears forming in her eyes? She rarely allowed herself to that level of desperation, but when the last little freedom she still had was being taken away from her, she’ll get desperate.

Her heart seized in her chest as they approached the empty cells, manacles waiting for her just as promised. “Please, I’ll do anything.” A phrase she knew she shouldn’t say to a pirate like him, but she allowed it to slip from her lips as she tried for a last minute mercy. “Please don’t leave me in here.”

But Finnegrin’s reputation left little room for mercy. Perhaps she wouldn’t be surprised if she found herself being fed to Sea Legs in the morning.

 

[Lucyfer]

They all began to dismount from the dragon, and Zubeia left them with the parting, “I’ll be back at this same spot by nightfall – I need to return to the Storm Spire to rest,” she said, which no one seemed to protest, before they all headed down to the tide pools, which were teeming with life.

Lethe wasn’t paying that life much attention as Jove hopped along after, clearly annoyed with the pace the group set, quite used to moving quicker than all of this. Lethe felt some sympathy for him, as he was relegated to walking on his legs of all things.

“Oh, look!” Ezran suddenly darted ahead, “It’s a sea slug! A large one – I’ve only seen smaller ones before,” as he drew attention to it, the others came around to observe, “They don’t move much, but they have a very rich inner life!”

Jove stepped forward, clearly with intent to peck the creature up, inner life be damned, but Lethe threw out her arms…only for another bird to swoop down and take up the slug.

Everyone gasped.

Except Jove. And Stella -- who was busy stealing sea shells not too far away.

Jove shrieked in protest at being denied the snack when another bird was allowed to have it. “No, Jove, we weren’t wanting it eaten at all!” Ezran said to Jove, as he flapped his wings in irritation from the ground.

“Um, I think we’re kinda snack size, too,” Rayla noted.

The large birds were looking around rather hungrily, so Jove sputtered with electricity. He was not a snack.

“Hey, guys? I have an idea,” Soren pointed out a few shells, not far from them.

Lethe frowned at this ‘idea’. “These birds probably eat crabs, Soren, I bet they can break the shells,” or deal with them in some way.

“Do you have a better one?”

Lethe didn’t really – well, one, “You guys hide in the shells, I’ll see if I can scope out Akiyu on Jove.”

~***~

As they reached the cell, Finnegrin could see the tears welling in her eyes once he turned to move her ahead of him, so he could push her up against the wall and get the manacles on her. Her tears didn’t deter him, nor did her pleas. “Anything?”

Of course she would.

“Then you’ll stay right here, all night. That’s what I want,” Finnegrin knew it was vicious, but she had to learn he wasn’t going to be swayed by pretty words and tears as he strapped one manacle onto her wrist. Plenty had tried that route. He’d be swayed by changed behavior. The last thing he needed was to let her go, only for her to think she could get away with breaking anything, after breaking something so dear to his heart.

“That, love, will be enough. And then in the morning you can tell me just how you plan to make it up to me, after you’ve had time all by your lonesome to think.” The second wrist was strapped in.

“I hope you enjoy your single bed.” There was one. The manacles would even reach to it, it wouldn’t keep her pinned to the wall – but it would be a nuisance to deal with them.

 

[cleopat]

They go from flying in the skies on the back of Queen of the dragons, to being in the middle of a potential feeding ground for some very large birds. Like Lethe, Callum wanted to protest the plan as well, but they didn’t have much choice.

“Alright, come on guys!” He ushered them to the shells, and first helped Ezran into his as he was still the smallest of them, and thus needed assistance with the bulky shell.

The others got their shells on them, with Soren making a comment of how his muscles got in the way, which only caused the others to groan at him. Once they were all prepared, they began to slowly make their way across the tidepools, slowly due to the awkwardness of the shell, their vision being hindered, and to…not draw too much attention.

Which when one is a giant shell, was hard to do.

The first bird began to peck at Ezran’s shell. “Hey!”

Then others followed suit. “They’re pecking at my shell too!” said Callum in slight panic.

~~~

Willow struggled for only a second before she realized how futile the situation was. Even if she did get free, then what? For Finnegrin to use that damn freezing spell on her? She was trapped there, and Finnegrin wasn’t being swayed in any way.

He left, and Willow was left alone in the brig, utter silence except for the rattling of her chains as she sank to the floor and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. A few more tears slipped down her cheeks, but she bit back the desire to let out a good cry.

It would do her no good, even as she felt total hopelessness at her situation.

Willow never migrated to the bed during the night. She stayed in the same position, arms wrapped around her knees, with her face pressed into her legs. She would rather deal with Finnegrin and his bed every night than spend another night in the cell, shackled to a small space.

It was too isolating. Too quiet. She felt all too helpless.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I didn’t tell you to move.’ Lethe thought once she was up in the sky on Jove. Jove, thankfully, was not considered a snack to these birds – not while she was on his back. What was a snack were potentially large crabs tucked inside shells. Lethe groaned as she watched the birds go down to try and peck out her newfound friends.

‘Akiyu where are you?’ Even as she thought it, she started forming the sign for lightning, then reconsidered. She didn’t really want to kill the birds. A gust, though – that would work. A bit.

“Aspiro.”

The wind rushed down just as Soren fell over with his shell and tried to kick out at the birds, sending a few squawking away, before a much greater threat arrived in the form of Akiyu with a stick.

Well, staff. But it was cleverly concealed as Akiyu went screaming and rampaging around, scaring the birds away who wanted nothing to do with the tiny terror.

“Hmph! Well, you’re the strangest bunch of talking hermit crabs I’ve seen in my life,” she muttered to the shells, just before they started to come out of them, Soren struggling and complaining about the size of his muscles as Lethe flew Jove back down behind the discarded shells.

“Thank you for saving us, Archmage,” Ezran was saying.

“Archmage? Do I look like an Archmage to you?”

“Uh…frankly, no, but I try not to judge.”

She nodded, “I’m not Akiyu. Friends call me Tidebound Tina!”

“Hey wait – that is Akiyu’s name!” Rayla argued immediately, which seemed to surprise the tidebound elf.

“Tina isn’t – oooh! Right! Lethe was telling us – hey, why’d you try to trick us?” Soren demanded, as Lethe walked around the shells to join the group, giving a small wave, and apologetic smile.

‘Whoops.’ Well, Akiyu shouldn’t have lied.

~***~

The day came and went into night. Finnegrin set the ship out to sail, not at all heading towards the Sea of the Castout, though it would be a while before his guests realized that. He had a feeling they didn’t quite understand Xadian geography as he did, let alone understand the sea. Once they figured it out, they’d be too late.

They’d be locked into helping him deal with Domina, or die trying.

When the morning came, he did not forget his promise to check in on Willow, and of course, he found her still in the cell, but not in the bed. She was curled in on herself like some kicked puppy waiting for its master to come back.

“Hope you slept well enough last night, love,” Finnegrin said as he unlocked the cell and went to approach her to unlock her manacles as well, “busy day ahead of ye with the deck and the rooms. Did you decide if you wanted to spend another night here?”

He knew the answer.

It was unlikely a night spent curled around herself enamored her further to the brig.

 

[cleopat]

A small tidebound elf saved them all from the birds, and she immediately tried to lie about her identity to them, but thanks to Lethe and telling them of her nickname, they knew better.

Akiyu regarded them with a suspicious eye, even more so when Lethe came walking up to join them. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m afraid the Archmage can’t help you today!” she turned and began to walk back from where she came.

“Wait!” Callum cried, hurrying over to her. “But it’s very important! Right now, as we speak, two dark mages are searching for Aaravos to release him, and it’s important we find his prison first.”

Akiyu paused and turned to look over her shoulder at Lethe. “Is what this human is saying true?”

~~~

It was near impossible for Willow to know how much time had passed, but she surmised morning had come when she heard footsteps come down the stairs into the bring, followed soon by Finnegrin’s voice.

She didn’t know if she actually slept at all last night. She may have dozed off a few times, but the majority of the night was spent in silent contemplation. She was certainly in no mood or spirits to give him a snarky remark.

“Please don’t bring me back in here.” Another plea. She watched him unlock her manacles, and once she was free from the cuffs, her hand gently soothed each wrist. Would he be cruel and bring her back later for another night there?

She would rather share his bed, and all that may entail. At least then she would be warm and comfortable. “I promise I won’t complain about sharing your room.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Akiyu still tried to deny her identity, which Lethe couldn’t really blame her for. Anyone seeking out Archmage Akiyu wanted something, and honestly? Who wanted to deal with all that. One reason to never become an Archmage. People always wanted favors and magic. Lethe was fine not having that reputation.

When Akiyu looked at her to confirm what was said, she nodded, “They went to Rex Igneous for the map, but upset him a bit too much,” if she understood what was being said. “The dark mages stole it from Rex Igneous and are now ahead. Domina provided them with details on what…the prison is.”

Something Akiyu knew very well.

“And Zubeia brought us here,” she gestured then towards the smaller dragon with them, “this is Zubeia’s son, Azymondius,” as if that were proof. Zym definitely knew he was being talked about, and strutted forward before giving a small whining sound, though it wasn’t a whine.

“Please,” Ezran added, “we need to know where Aaravos’s prison is, so we can stop the dark mages before they find a way to release him. If you know anything about where it is, it would help to save the world.”

‘You know I don’t know where it is.’ Lethe…really shouldn’t know where it was, but desperate times, desperate measures.

~***~

Willow was far less snarky now.

Far less hostile, as he undid the shackles and she immediately wrapped her own hands around her wrists. He reached to pull her up from under her shoulders to get her standing, and he encouraged her towards the exit of the cell. He didn’t really want to stay down there longer than he had to, either.

“No, no, of course not, pebble,” he said, “you seem to understand now. There’ll be no need to bring you back here, I’m sure.” So long as that understanding remained with her, of course, “You should go get a bite to eat before breakfast runs out, then you can start your duties.”

He wouldn’t force her to work hungry, “When you’re ready to talk about the new debt you’ve incurred, love, you know where to find me,” if he wasn’t at the wheel, he’d be in his office, or his room.

But she ought to get some food in her first.

Get her mind back in order, before they discussed anything more about that debt, thanks to her rash decision to throw something in his office.

She wouldn’t be doing that again.

 

[cleopat]

Akiyu looked down at the baby dragon, holding out her stick for Zym to sniff. “Well aren’t you a darling.” Zym made a noise that sounded like he agreed with her, and Akiyu chuckled.

She looked back at the group with a critical eye, before turning around once more. “Alright, alright, enough of that begging. If Zubeia brought you here, then it must be the truth. Follow me, follow me.”

The group visibly relaxed now that the Archmage seemed to be willing to help them. “Oh, thank you!” Callum said.

“Well, we can’t just let the world perish and all that,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Although,” she turned to look over her shoulder, “I am curious as to how you joined their group.” She looked at Lethe when she said that. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“We met Lethe at the Great Bookery in Lux Aurea!” Ezran said, now with Bait safely tucked in his arms.

~~~

Willow could hear her bones crack as Finnegrin stood her up, her body protesting the change in position after remaining in the same one for hours. Her legs protested moving, as well, but she slowly made her way to the exit, as encouraged, and after a few steps, she was walking normally.

As encouraged, she went to grab some breakfast, and once her stomach was satisfied, she set out on her duties, not entertaining the thought of meeting Finnegrin for that conversation he promised just yet. She needed a much clearer mind, and mindless tasks would help her.

The monotony of chores were occasionally broken up by an appearance by Pucca, who was enjoying exploring the ship, and by Terry and Claudia, with whom she had a small conversation as they saw one another.

It was much later in the day when Willow finally decided she was ready to face Finnegrin again for that promised talk. Not seeing him anywhere on deck, she made her way over to his quarters and knocked on the door. “Um…it’s Willow.”

 

[Lucyfer]

“Great Bookery? Weren’t you banned?” Akiyu asked to a sigh from Lethe.

“Well there’s no one around to enforce the ban, so….” A shrug.

“No one around?” Akiyu was evidently startled by the news, which made sense to Lethe. She was…a hermit, to say the least.

Rayla didn’t seem to catch that. “Yeah, haven’t you heard? Lux Aurea was destroyed two years ago. The Sunfire elves are now living in a camp and rebuilding.”

“Huh!” No, Akiyu had definitely not heard. “Lot’s happened since I went out. Guess that explains why a Moonshadow elf is traveling with a bunch of humans. Thought it a bit weird, wasn’t gonna say anything, though.”

“Oh! Yeah, heh, that’s a – a story,” she agreed. “but it all revolves around our cute little dragon, Zym!”

Zym gave a chime of agreement with that, strutting a bit more as they entered into a cavern that was likely a part of Akiyu’s home. “Well, give Khessa my regards.”

“Khessa’s, um…dead. Janai’s Queen now.”

Akiyu looked a bit saddened by that, glancing back at them, then sighing, “Well. Give Janai my regards, and my sympathies. I didn’t know. Karim…?”

“Exiled,” Soren answered. He’d heard about it in the encampment. “He challenged Janai to some sort of honor duel? I wasn’t completely clear on it.”

“Goodness gracious! Aditi outlawed those things for a good reason! Ugh. Royal brats,” she muttered, pulling an amulet out from a puddle of water and holding it out, “You, mage boy – you’ll want this to get to Aaravos.”

~***~

Willow arrived later in the day, as anticipated. Their path was still well set, with none in the guest party realizing they weren’t heading towards the Sea of the Castout just yet. They wouldn’t be far from it. The sense of urgency clung to the group barnacles – well, at least, to Claudia and Terry.

The other man just existed. ‘Hard to believe that could be The Viren.’ But he hadn’t given up. The way Terry spoke of him, suggested it, even if Terry didn’t say much. Terry enjoyed bragging. Claudia was a bit more closed-lipped.

The smarter of the two, evidently.

He pushed out of his chair as he heard the voice, and opened the door for Willow, “Come on in,” he announced, gesturing her in.

She would not find Shelley’s shell on the desk.

She would not find Shelley’s shell anywhere. In the end, Finnegrin had tossed the shards into the sea, where Shelley rested. There was no repairing it in a way that would have satisfied him. It was better to let it go, as he’d let Shelley go.

Not that he had a choice.

Domina didn’t leave a body behind.

“So, now that you’ve had some time to think, half breed,” no cute little nickname for the moment, he wanted to see if she’d still fall prey to that temper, and wreck every step of progress for herself, “what do ye have to say?”

 

[cleopat]

Callum felt a little guilty that they seemingly unloaded all of that information on Akiyu all at once. There was so much she missed from her time as a hermit, that he wondered what other big events that occurred she missed out on.

But he couldn’t think about that anymore when she addressed him and held out an amulet. He looked at it, wide-eyed in his wonder, before grasping it. “What does it do?”

Akiyu muttered something to herself. “You humans always asking so many questions. That amulet will grant you the powers of the ocean arcanum.”

Callum looked at the amulet in wonder. “Woah, really?”

“Wait, how is that getting us to Aaravos?” Soren asked, poking at the amulet with one finger.

Akiyu sighed. “It’s not taking you to Aaravos. It’ll help you get to his prison, though. Mage boy, you’ll know what to do.”

~~~

Willow walked in his room, not looking at Finnegrin at first. She still felt…a range of emotions over the last day, but ultimately, she didn’t want to do anything to draw forth that ire again. She hated the utter hopelessness she felt down in the brig, unable to do anything but sit in silence.

But Finnegrin used the damned nickname, and a flicker of her usual fury flared within, but aside from the tightening of her fists, Willow swallowed it with the threat of the brig over her head. It wasn’t worth the consequences that he now undoubtedly knew affected her.

“I…apologize for the way I acted,” she said softly, as if a child being scorned. “And I apologize for destroying something valuable of yours in my fit of anger.” She truly did feel bad that what she destroyed was Shelley’s first shell, something that was obviously important for Finnegrin.

She sighed, and looked at Finnegrin. “I should’ve been more appreciative of you offering your quarters to me while our guests are on the ship.”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘It’s underwater, isn’t it?’ Lethe could guess that from the gift. Not to mention, being beneath the ocean would keep him even further from the stars, and entirely unable to see them at all. None of them knew quite how…powerful he was. They couldn’t risk anything. It made sense. Underwater, underground – anything to keep him separate from his native arcanum.

“And where is his prison?” Rayla asked, feeling quite nervous with the thought of having to go anywhere near the ocean to get to it. She was not a fan of that thought at all. She was useless around water!

Akiyu gave one glance to Lethe, before sighing, “The Sea of the Castout,” she said.

“Really?” Lethe couldn’t help but blurt, and at the scowl she received, Lethe just threw her hands up, “There’s a statue of him right by Elarion’s ruins and you—augh!” Lethe buried her face in her hands at how obvious it was. Even the name, which was more named for the cast out humans

Akiyu smirked, “It’s the last place you’d put it, isn’t it?” which made sense. Because no one would put Aaravos where he had any connections, because it was so obvious it was overlooked as an option.

“Um, context?” Soren requested.

Lethe just sighed into her hands and muttered something incomprehensible about audacity.

Akiyu snickered to herself, “Oh I’m sure that’s a long, long story for later, you all have a world to save,” she gave a dismissive little flick of her wrists, “Now that you know where the prison is, you should get there post-haste, right?”

~***~

Finnegrin saw that flicker, and leaned forward a bit, to see if the fury would manifest. It didn’t. Willow spoke softly instead, apologizing for what she had done. It seemed sincere, as she looked up at him, and spoke of being appreciative.

He wasn’t sure that was sincere, but at least a portion of it was.

“Yes, you should have been,” he stated agreement, “and now we have to add to your debt when you were close to clearing it,” what price could he even put on this? Anything he wanted, of course.

It was all at his whim, after all.

“Seeing as ya understand what you’ve done, why don’t you tell me: what sort of price would you put on something like that? Something irreplaceable from a dead loved one? I’m sure you’ve a few trinkets of the sort yourself, from your ma or your pa,” whichever it may be, he assumed both dead or out of her life, based on her current situation.

He didn’t consider it could be bad terms on both sides. Maybe one – but not both.

 

[cleopat]

Oh, there was definitely a story that everyone was desperate to know. Statue of him? Elarion ruins? The name was one Callum read about, and Ezran heard of, but it largely remained a mystery, especially for poor Soren who knew nothing about it, or why Lethe was freaking out.

“Right! We should begin to make our way to the Sea of the Castout!” Callum exclaimed. Remembering her fear of the water, he looked over at Rayla and gave her an encouraging smile. Whenever her fear was obvious, he would make sure to be by her side, guiding her through it.

“Come on! I’m sure Zubeia will be back soon for us,” Ezran said, leading them back to the grassy field she dropped them off at. “Oh!” He turned back to Akiyu. “Thank you for everything!”

“You can thank me when you stop Aaravos from ever returning,” she said with a stab of her staff in the air.

“Alright, let me lead the way!” Soren said with a puff of his chest, walking in front of the group. “We don’t know if those killer birds will be back for revenge.”

~~~

Willow’s heart dropped to her stomach when Finnegrin spoke of more debt. He could decide there was no debt that could clear what she had broken, forcing her to a life of servitude, when she had apparently almost cleared her debt.

But he spoke of a sentimental trinket on her end. Something one of her parents may have owned. There was something she had of her mother’s, back at the little house right outside of Scumport, hidden from any potential scavengers, but she refused to give it up.

So she shook her head. “My mother was never the sort to have anything like that. You saw my place.” Just little odds and ends that highlighted the simple life she was used to. “My dad?” She snorted, shaking her head. “He didn’t care about us.” Somehow her mother still loved him until she died, and Willow never understood why.

Willow took a deep breath. “Is there anything else I can do?” Maybe she would regret saying that, knowing he wouldn’t hesitate on asking for anything he could think of. Hell, she even considered his offer from their night together, to give herself to him, if that would satisfy him.

 

[Lucyfer]

Soren led the way out, and the group followed, though thankfully the birds that were present didn’t attempt to bother them. Perhaps seeing them come out of the crazy hermit’s lair was reason enough to the birds to avoid them. Whatever survived her, was clearly not worth messing with.

The path back was thus uneventful, although they would now have to wait until nightfall for Zubeia to return and gather them, so a makeshift camp started to form to wait it out, even if none of them expected to truly rest there the night.

“Soooo,” Soren probed first, “Sea of the Castout? Elerius?”

“Elarion,” Lethe corrected with a sigh, “you really don’t know of it?”

Soren shook his head, “Nope!”

“I’ve heard of it,” Ezran said, “I know it was a human city, but…not much else.” He confessed.

“I’m not familiar,” Rayla admitted, “although a human city that far into Xadia….”

“It was during Sol Regem’s reign. I’m surprised you don’t know, Rayla,” Lethe said, although not…entirely. Much about Aaravos was meant to be forgotten. “The destruction of Elarion is what earned the former king his blindness,” she took her book out of cosmic space before sitting on the bedroll she’d already pulled out. “It was also a place of dark magic. Sol Regem went to destroy it, and he did…but one of the dark mages there blinded him for it. Aaravos…saved those humans he could.”

He'd told her as much, even when it was a damning confession. It was also something several hundreds of years old by that point. Without Aaravos, there wouldn’t be a humanity; she’d never considered that bad.

“The sea was named after the casting out of humans from Xadia after that, because Elarion was along its borders. I’m not sure what it was called before then.” She should have asked Aaravos; she never considered it.

~***~

Willow, apparently, had no trinkets. Although she phrased it as trinkets her parents had, which led Finnegrin to believe she was lying. That didn’t much matter, of course, except that she wanted to make this harder on herself. That seemed to be a trend with her, so he sighed at her apparent lack of sentiment.

“And here I thought with all that dirt, and you’re care for your friend Drake, you knew something of sentiment. Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised with how carelessly you treat everything,” he waved it off, “money must be the only thing you care about.”

So it would be money, then.

“To make a point, I think a debt of 10,000 gold ought to hit home for how dear it all was,” he may as well have said a life debt. Even working for him for thirty years wouldn’t clear that, and she likely knew that. The amount he’d given before at least had a chance, and bringing in the dark mages? Well, he would have likely cleared her after Domina was dead.

Until she had to do something stupid.

“So you can pay that, love, or work until you’ve cleared it, of course.”

 

[cleopat]

Callum watched as Lethe pulled her book out of cosmic space, seemingly mesmerized by the magic displayed. Oh how he wished he could do that! And he may have even been a little jealous that the cuddlemonkey could do it as well, making it seem like no effort.

“Wait, Aaravos saved the humans?” he asked, confused. That he didn’t know of Elarion, but if Aaravos’ name was stricken from all books, then it would be no surprise that he hadn’t heard of that.

“Wait…why would Aaravos do something like that?” wondered Ezran.

“Well, he must have had his own motive for that.” After all, Aaravos was a master manipulator, and could see five steps ahead of everyone. Saving the humans had to be a part of his own plans.

And still, as Callum thought about Aaravos, he thought of the possession of his body, and how seemingly easy it was for the elf to do it from his prison, with a mere mirror to see them. Could they truly stop him?

~~~

She did know something of sentiment, Willow wanted to scream out. She did have something sentimental belonging to her mother and to Drake that she kept very close to her heart, but she just wasn’t willing to part with them, not even to satisfy a steep debt with Finnegrin.

A debt, it seemed, that would take her entire life to pay off.

She wanted to scream and cry and punch the wall, but the threat of genuine retaliation placated her. Instead, her nails dug into the palms of her hands as she fought the wave of intense emotions that rolled over her. “You know I can’t pay that.” No one could, except, maybe a king or queen.

And Willow was definitely no royalty.

“Is there anything I can do to shorten the debt?” She didn’t want to sound desperate, but the thought of never having her freedom again terrified her.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Do you still see the world as black and white?’ No, Lethe knew they didn’t, but their instant reaction against Aaravos was still somewhat startling. Did they not know what he truly was? Did they just think he was a powerful mage?

“You do not think I befriended him because I knew he was terrible, do you?” Lethe asked, just a touch of mock offense in her tone. It wasn’t sincere, of course, “Aaravos seemed heaven sent to most of us, even to the elves and dragons, for many centuries. And, to humans.” He had such a soft spot for humanity.

“He’ll claim teaching them dark magic was to help them, and perhaps in his mind, it was.” Perhaps he also had other motives. The two could co-exist.

Soren was the one to look uncomfortable, no doubt dwelling on his relatives – two dark mages, who meant quite a lot to him. “I wonder if dark magic just…corrupted Aaravos,” Soren wanted to consider the blame could fall to the magic, even if he knew, deep down, it wasn’t just that.

The others in the group were aware enough of it not to answer either way. ‘And no one asks why would Sol Regem try to commit genocide.’ She opened her book in her lap, “You wanted to learn more magic, Callum?” May as well move the topic from that one.

~***~

Finnegrin snorted at her request, though he knew she was likely to ask something like that. “Let’s see…Domina is worth the original debt I gave you, isn’t she? I suppose finding a way to kill three more archdragons would clear your debt. Maybe you can talk to those dark mages of yours, see if they’d be willing to after Domina is dealt with.”

The problem was, of course, that they had no reason to help Finnegrin after their own personal mission was done. They certainly weren’t going to do it out of the goodness of their hearts – but maybe, just maybe, they had enough of a vendetta against dragons themselves.

Certainly Sol Regem, that known hater of humanity. He’d be easier to kill than most, as well.

That would leave Rex Igneous, Luna’s rejected child, Zubeia,

Zubeia had a child, but a child was hardly worth all that.

“Or restore Shelley to life?” Impossible, of course. Killing dragons was more possible. “Perform a feat, dear pebble, that all the gold in the world can’t buy, and perhaps I’ll remove that pesky debt of yours. You did one impossible thing, why not another, eh?”

 

[cleopat]

Callum, of course, felt sheepish with the point Lethe brought up. Aaravos couldn’t have immediately seemed terrible to everyone if he was able to manipulate and play out everyone the way he did before he was discovered.

Lethe didn’t seem the type to purposely befriend someone like him, as well as the other elves and even dragons. Someone like him was truly dangerous to let free. Even keep alive.

Who knows if they were all playing right into Aaravos’ trap right now.

But Callum was brought out of his spiraling thoughts about Aaravos, and what he could be doing to everyone right now, by Lethe’s question. He easily perked up and moved over to her. “Yes! I do. Anything you’re willing to teach!”

Soren let out a chuckle followed by a groan. “Here they go, talking about magic again.”

~~~

All Willow heard was, it was impossible to do anything to shorten her debt.

She felt completely, utterless hopeless. She felt numb. She closed her eyes and looked away, refusing to cry in front of Finnegrin. He would enjoy her tears, she just knew it.

Opening her eyes, Willow made her way to the nearest chair and sat down. Could she stab Finnegrin in his sleep? Could she find a way out of Scumport the next time they were docked? She still had to believe there was a way to freedom, even if failing meant losing even more than she already had.

“You’ll grow tired of me long before my debt is paid.” Not that that mattered, she was sure. He would find a use for her, maybe someplace on his ship where he didn’t have to look at her.

 

[Lucyfer]

Callum…reminded Lethe of herself.

He was easy to distract with talk of magic, and eager, happy, interested, curious. It was no wonder he’d grasped the sky arcanum first, he seemed a good fit for it as a human. She did hope he would learn others, though she wasn’t sure what direction to turn him.

The Star would be difficult.

Perhaps the Ocean? Somehow, it and the Sky always seemed a pair.

“All right,” Lethe grinned and motioned Callum over, “Let me show you some sky arcanum runes, perhaps I’ll stumble on one you haven’t seen before and we can practice until you have it down,” it’d be a simple start, to improve what he already knew, and try to teach him some additional theory in it, before going towards anything else.

After all, she didn’t want an important lesson to be interrupted by Zubeia, and these…weren’t as important since he already knew the arcanum.

His friends were easily accepting of it, with Ezran and Rayla inclined to chime in with cheers when Callum did begin practicing new ones, before returning to their own business in the camp. Ezran seemed engaged with the animals – well, except Stella, who clung to Rayla, but the other three all seemed willing to humor Ezran.

Soren and Rayla were the more pragmatic ones, making sure there was food, keeping guard, and occasionally devolving into games of their own, or conversations that seemed to exasperate Rayla.

Lethe wasn’t keeping up with them.

But then night fell.

Zubeia did not arrive, and Zym couldn’t hide his worried whimpers. Lethe couldn’t read much more out of her book under the stars.

“I’m worried, too,” Ezran told Zym, putting a hand on the back of the dragon’s neck.

“I’m sure she was just really tired,” Rayla said, “she’s been doing a lot of flying us around.”

“But what if she doesn’t show up by morning?” Ezran said.

“Well, we continue on!” Soren said, “And as soon as we’re done, we go catch up with her! We know she can sleep for a very long time, and I don’t think she has anyone to wake her up, since—ah, well, since she sleeps alone.” Since Ibis was dead.

Soren wanted to mention Zubeia’s injury, but he withheld. Worrying everyone now…wouldn’t do any good. It wouldn’t change what they had to do, or that Zubeia was injured, and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

~***~

Finnegrin was amused by how destitute the amount made Willow. She didn’t even muster up the confidence to suggest she could convince those dark mages to help. “Aww, dear,” he tsked at her agonized comment, “it doesn’t matter if I get tired of ye, so long as you work, and work well. Then you’ll have a place here, and even in relative comfort. You can ask any of the other long-term members of the crew, like Deadwood.”

Sure, he insulted Deadwood – frequently – but he had good quarters, he ate well, and he was one of the rare ones that got paid, considering it was a good way to keep him in line. He couldn’t exactly do the blood freeze on someone without blood, after all.

“It needn’t be as bad as you’re makin’ it out to be in your head, little stone,” he noted, “you’ve barely been here long. You might even grow to like it. I like it,” though he was in control. Even before then, though, he’d always enjoyed being out on the sea, but he was tied to it.

Unlike the little earthblood halfling.

“Other opportunities may even arise, love,” he noted, “my whims are ever-changing,” just as the sea.

But why was he trying to give her hope?

‘Because hopelessness doesn’t make for a good worker.’

 

[cleopat]

Learning more spells from the sky arcanum excited Callum. Normally he only had his books to learn from, and normally they were a great source to read about magic and spells, but to learn from another Skywing elf meant being introduced to a few new things that he hadn’t come across yet. And the cheers from his friends only encouraged him on.

But they eventually had to stop, and as Zubeia failed to show up, everyone grew worried, but Soren, the ever optimist, encouraged them otherwise.

“Soren’s right,” Callum agreed. “We’ll just camp here for tonight, and in the morning, if Zubeia still hasn’t shown up, we’ll just have to continue on and meet up with her later.” Zym made a sad noise, the thought of his mother not showing up not sitting well with him.

Ezran frowned and gave Zym a hug. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Soren’s right! She’ll be back before you know it.” Zym whined again, but he accepted what Ezran said.

~~~

Willow had seen the way Finnegrin treated Deadwood. His comment didn’t exactly inspire encouragement, knowing the way Deadwood was treated with abuse and insults hurled his way.

And she bit back a comment on how he liked his life on the ship. Of course he did! He was the captain, and he was connected to the sea. There wasn’t any reason for him to not like it. But she was there against her will, and while her connection to the earth may not be as strong as a full-blooded earthblood elf, it was still there. She didn’t know how prolonged trips out at sea would affect her, if at all.

She would have to hold onto the hope that other opportunities would indeed arise. Maybe another chance at freedom, if escape doesn’t work.

With an idea forming, Willow looked back at Finnegrin. Well, if I’m stuck here for now, might as well make the best of the situation. “Since we’re on the subject of opportunities, while we’re sharing a room for a few days, is that…offer from the other night still on the table?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Even Lethe wasn’t calmed by the optimism of Soren, but she wouldn’t speak to it. In the end, they had to continue, with or without Zubeia. “Should we take shifts?” Lethe asked, aware that although they were near Akiyu, there were still animals out there who would want to eat them.

“Already decided,” Rayla grinned, “Soren, myself, and Callum will split the evening.”

Lethe thought to interject that she was capable, but bit her tongue against it. ‘It’s safe to sleep.’ And she was still new. She’d helped Callum with some magic, but she imagined that wasn’t quite enough to earn a place in the watch.

Even Ezran didn’t have a place, though he was more of a kid than the others were.

And a king.

“You can rest easy,” Rayla said, “we won’t let anything get into camp.”

“Nothing is going to get by my muscles.”

Lethe chuckled at that and shook her head, “All right, all right, I’ll trust you three. Still, I’ll offer my services if needed in the future,” she would at least make it clear she wanted a role in the future, when they grew to trust her more, or when one of them was unable to perform.

Exhaustion was a terrible thing.

Rayla nodded, accepting it, but not that offering, so Lethe went to her bedroll and considered how strange it was to be around others. She wasn’t used to it, but all the same, she laid down, and though Jove stayed with Zym, as did Bait, the two trying to soothe his worries.

Lethe drifted, and of course, found herself in the observatory-like dreamscape.

The book of the day was there for her to go over her memories, and she approached it, but hesitated to read it. There was much to take in, but her mind continued to wander to Aaravos, half-expecting him, still, to show up.

But he didn’t.

And his absence was an open wound of guilt leaking out, enough that Lethe went to pull another book from her shelves of memories, in that hidden section of Pre-Incident. ‘Remind yourself of why you have to keep him imprisoned….’ Except, of course, that wasn’t the book she pulled. No, thinking of Callum, she ended up pulling the one where she finally formalized her request to be one of his pupils, after flitting in and out of his life for years, and went to read that old memory.

~***~

Finnegrin let his brows rise as Willow asked about his other offer. He had an idea of what she meant, and he almost couldn’t believe it. ‘You are an insatiable whore.’ Not that he minded, but now he had his doubts on it, considering what she’d just been through with the Brig, and how angry she had been mere seconds ago about the lack of freedom.

It had to be some ploy to catch him vulnerable.

“Now, which offer is that, love?” he decided to ask, playing dumb, “I’ve made so many offers to so many people lately I can’t rightly keep track of all the rejected ones,” he wondered if she’d say that, or if she was simply referring to the room.

He had confirmed the room was still good when he took her out of the Brig, hadn’t he? Perhaps not – perhaps only that she wouldn’t go back to the Brig. He could still toss her anywhere else, or make her share quarters with anyone else.

She might not even hate that.

Deadwood would be a gentleman, so long as Finnegrin didn’t order him to be anything else.

 

[cleopat]

The bookeries of the human kingdoms couldn’t hold a candle to those of Xadia, to that of the Great Bookery in Lux Aurea, but they were sufficient given how the humans had to start over their civilization from scratch.

The poor humans…faced with near extinction due to the genocidal madness of Sol Regem, and how he perceived dark magic as a complete evil that needed to be eradicated. How wrong he was! He, the other dragons, and the elves, all wrong about dark magic and the humans. And one day they’ll see how they were wrong.

For now, he focused on meeting with his brand new pupil, a Skywing elf he’d known off and on over the years. A curious young thing who decided she wanted to learn from him. When was the last time he’d taken on a pupil?

Perhaps too long, but he had grown curious as to what she could learn from him, what she could take to heart.

His eyes were skimming the words of the tome open on the desk before him, but he still just as easily heard the approaching footsteps of his new pupil. “So nice of you to join me, Lethe.” He looked up and at the elf in question. “I hope you’re eager to learn.”

~~~

Willow knew what Finnegrin was doing. How couldn’t she, when that was exactly who he was?

She knew he was playing dumb, to get her to state exactly what she wanted. A wave of humiliation rolled over her, now that her brain had a second longer to realize her situation, and what she wanted.

In her constant desire for affection of any kind, only heightened by her night in isolation, she was willing to barter with the elf who was the reason behind her misery. She didn’t know how to feel about that, or about herself.

And the crazy thing is, I would still go through with it.

“It was just a ridiculous thought,” she said as she stood up from the chair. “Just forget about it.” She began to make her way to the door in an attempt to put some space between them. She didn’t know what she would do next, or if she would even return to the room for sleep, if he would let her.

 

[Lucyfer]

The human kingdoms were still strange places to Lethe, despite how often she’d snuck into them. The exile from Xadia didn’t exactly enamor humans to elves of any sort – well, except perhaps one.

Aaravos.

He was also the one that Lethe was heading to see as she ventured into the kingdom, not bothering to land until she saw the bookery. She landed in the nearby alley, and bundled the cloak over herself once there. It was translucent black, light and airy – but it didn’t need to be anything else. Her skin never matched the human kingdoms, but the robe obscured that, which was all she needed it to do.

She all but sprinted into the bookery, hood falling back once she entered, but she disregarded any looks as she saw Aaravos and bounded right over to where he was sitting, looking over some book.

Lethe smiled at him, ignoring the burst of butterflies that always overcame her when she saw him. It was one of those reasons she’d avoided any long interactions with him, but damnit! She’d get over it, and she would learn magic!

More than the sky arcanum.

If one elf could do it, why not another?

“Very!” Lethe didn’t take the nearby seat, but let the wind lift her just a few unnecessary inches off the ground as she settled her hands on Aaravos’s shoulder to look over him and at the book. Completely unnecessary given he was sitting, but old habits died hard, and she really did prefer to float, “Is that the book we’re using as a study aid?”

~***~

Willow backtracked immediately and got up, intending to exit without even a farewell or proper dismissal. He could have let her head out, but instead, after a few steps, he lazily rose from his chair and took a few long strides in pursuit. “Now, now,” Finnegrin cut in. “Are you really leaving without answering the question? Or saying goodbye?”

He would catch up to reach the door first, and put a hand on it to keep it closed.

“I believe I get to judge if the idea is silly – and something I offered?” he chuckled, “Love, I don’t offer silly opportunities often. I’m usually drunk, and I’ve been sober a few days in a row now,” maybe he ought to change that.

After Domina.

A proper celebration would be in order then.

“What was that option you were considering, love?” he leaned down towards her, “Or are you no longer considering it any longer?”

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos smiled at Lethe, pleased to see her eagerness and curiosity. Her innocence was adorable, even, and it nearly reminded him of his younger days as an eager elf, wanting to learn everything about magic his tutor had to offer.

He glanced down at one of her hands on his shoulders, as she used the sky arcanum to lift herself up, a little bit of magic she always did when they were together as a commentary on his height. Another thing that endeared her to him.

“This is the book we’re using,” he confirmed, angling the book so Lethe could get a better view of the words. “It’s one I gifted the humans long ago, before their expulsion from Xadia, and miraculously, it survived despite everything.” The cover was a little worn, but Aaravos had managed to mend it with just a wave of his hand.

“It tells about the different primal sources, connecting to an arcanum, things of that nature.” He shifted in his seat to get a better look at Lethe. “How does the sky arcanum feel to you? How do you connect to it?”

~~~

Willow should have expected the interruption. Someone like Finnegrin wouldn’t be so merciful to let her leave and avoid answering the question she suddenly regretted ever bringing up. And now with his hand firmly over the door, there would be no leaving for her.

She took a few steps back in order to put some space between them. So she could breathe properly. “Well, I had planned on leaving.” But now that was no longer an option.

Her gaze averted from his, as she couldn’t look at his smug expression without feeling some shame. “That offer you made the other night, of settling my debts another way.” How she remembered how he whispered those salacious ideas in her ear. How she hated herself for entertaining the thought.

Her arms crossed over her chest. “I may have been interested in discussing that offer further.” She still couldn’t look at him, afraid of feeling more of that shame, humiliation, or embarrassment. Or all three at once.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe leaned into his shoulder on her hand, so she could see the book better as it was angled towards her. It was an old tome from Elarion, but that didn’t encourage her much about its use. Elarion was full of dark mages, not primal mages. So, the book couldn’t have helped much if the humans couldn’t grasp it.

Still, Aaravos knew how to learn. If he thought the book would help, she’d trust him.

“I never really think about it,” Lethe confessed, because why would she? The sky arcanum was like her horns, an ever-present part of herself that she didn’t need to think about. Of course, she did think about it more and more.

Learning magic meant thinking about it.

“Well, okay, I don’t think about it much,” she bent her arms and folded them over the back of the chair Aaravos sat in, hovering still, “but it feels…light? Ephemeral and omnipresent at once. It’s within me, as much as I’m within it. Every breath just proves that,” taking in air, releasing it, never truly being apart from it. It was always within her, and it was always outside of her.

“Inescapably boundless~,” it wasn’t like chains in that way of being inescapable. It was freeing. Liberating! Air had no boundaries. “But I’m always connected,” she let her feet touch the ground, leaning harder into him a moment in that transition, before walking around to the desk, “I don’t…connect to it. I just am. Like you and the Stars, right?” Or could he disconnect? Did he know how to connect? “What’s that like?”

~***~

So, it wasn’t confusion about sleeping in the same room as him. It was confirmation about sleeping with him to pay off the debt sooner. ‘Ah love, do you know how long that would take you?’ Likely not, and he wouldn’t clarify that either. Mostly, because he didn’t plan to take her up on it right then.

He valued his life.

He also valued having all of his parts attached.

“I believe I’ve suggested several ways you could settle it, love, but since you can’t seem to say the one I meant, I understand you’ve reconsidered,” he chuckled and moved his hand off the door, “even if ye were able to say it, I’d have to decline the kind offer. Not that I didn’t enjoy our time together, but I’d have to be a bit more touched in the head to trust a woman fresh from the Brig anywhere near.”

He was insane, but even he had his limits. A woman who’s mood was more mercurial than the sea required some care, when she’d been in a stormy mood lately.

Of course, he contradicted that by reaching to place a couple of his fingers under chin to tilt her head up, “But perhaps another time, love,” he winked, and let her go, moving from the door so she could exit if she wanted.