Ah, this be it, then! Grog'tial thinks. I'd fingered the Admir'l as the real power from the moment I first came aboard, and it's been unmistakable for everyone else for a while now - but she does need all her crew. It's not just convenience, or preferring to work through others. She cannae do without us. This then, gives me leverage. A lot more then she knows, or expects me to recognize.

His mind races down new possibilities. It's vexing that the shipboard life has put him out of touch of his network. Things'll run smoothly without him for quite a while, he's seen to that, but it can't react to new developments. Is his own leverage going to be enough to counter the Admir'l getting a hook into Orig'lat? He'll be vulnerable there, and this is known to her - but not acting at all is driving him crazy! It's true that she knows that he knows that she knows, but he's found her weak spot now, and that she doesn't know.

The smile which creeps onto his face is genuine, and if the Admir'l will misinterpret it, then all the better. He nods assent on her offer for eyes and protection on Orig'lat, and then goes see Aeshma with his tiny vial, hoping to get some clarity on just how potent that actually is.

*As Argy is getting a hang on swimming*

"You are doing great!! you haven't died yet, so we take these victories. This might have even been the hardest battle for you yet but you are doing great!

Now that we can tread lets try swimming in a straight line, you want to kick your feet behind you, move your hands over your head like a wheel and push the water under you while bringing your head over the water to breath. This will allow you to swim quickly. If it is helpful perhaps figure out how to get a pare of swimming goggles so you can see under the water since you likely do not have the protective film over your eyes that mine do.

I misread this as

"I would gladly not welcome Bhrigu, Durik, Kyp, Mighty and Pugwash back"

at first and I thought we somehow made you upset or did something wrong lol.

This is Kyp's idea of encouragement? Somebody get Argy a calming draft!! LOL.

You do realize she is now our cook, right? You might want to consider what she could put into your food and drink. ;)
Oh, um, Grog'tial didn't hear that ... or on second thought, considering his reaction to her hugs - maybe he should reconsider that. :P

No, not at all. I admit those who give me more to work with into their background and story will probably get more back in return as it sparks more ideas. Kyp's story is more tied in with this next mission, so hold on to your webbed hands and feet! LOL! I did this so you can be through it before finals if we can, and thus pay more attention to school. I also understand if you can't return with next semester, but I would be happy to have Kyp along. :)

I don't actually understand the reference to the other thread or the laptop in your post ... but yes, part of it is that I'll be having to rebuild a new system before the New Year. ;)

BRUUUUHHHHH I was posting that in a different thread, and it said it was processing forever and it didn't post it. Why did it post it on this thread??????? That was from a completely different topic in a completely different reply box to a different forum post, so really confused and embarrassed it did that lol even though it was a weird but and not my fault

The second day of their island docking, Aylar sprang out of his bed as the sun just barely tinged the horizon. His thoughts spun around, senses amplified, magnified; he assured himself that it be just his fresh weaving settling in place, and not the agitation and and turmoil at the request he was given, the work he was about to undertake. He set about his morning routine, stretches and invisible feints and lunges long practiced; the by now familiar and no longer off-putting simmer rolling through his bones. Strange that, he nae lamented for many a day nae being able to drink it away, nor he really wanted to. This made the cloying warping of haggish magick be mere annoyance at this point - however, he intended be rid of it soon, as that would be a tactical disadvantage to him, and he be now responsible for not only himself, but everyone else.

Aylar returned his blade to its favored spot on his belt and snatched his trusty longcoat off his chair; the tails of it twirled through the air as he threw it on in a theatrical flourish. His hand went into the inner pocket, fingers brushing against the feather secreted away; his lips set into a thin line. "That includes her and ye know that full well;" he thought, "as ye know that if she nae able to tell me, someone else will." Declaration made, he left his cabin.

----

Whatever time Aeshma opened her practice at usually, it still, perhaps, would be quite a surprise for her to find someone lingering by her door this early; or perhaps she already fully expected to find him there, with sheer presence brimming round him as an alert hound would. Aylar habitually cracked a witty apology fer bringing about more work and scheming and not even a wee single serenade or even a flower, but his eyes were serious.

The momentary silence hung between them heavily. "There is work to be done, and a tale to be told", he said to her, and let himself into her workplace as soon as allowed. Once the door closed and he had her proper attention, he sat down, softly placing the crimson feather onto the table. "In part, I be here for me wish, but naturally, there be more to that. Here be the material, and the weave be waiting," the charm in his hair moved ever so slightly, "but for us to work our trade, I be needing to know just what exactly I be working with, and who exactly I be warding." He leaned back, supporting his head with one hand, as if setting for a proper listen. "I know ye know, and I do need someone other to tell in her stead so to run a circle around the conditions of this thing. I be looking to give everyone involved the best chance possible."

Argy is somewhat happy with the results of her swimming lessons, but Kyp's "motivational speech" scares her again. "These merfolk do have strange social skills... or is it his vengeance for feeding him with fish-heads? Nevermind, no food can be wasted, and since the felinoids are gone, no one else will want to eat those..."

Once done with the training, she needs to take away the salty taste of all the water she swallowed in the meantime, so she serves herself several mugs of grog. A few hours later, while back at the cabins, she knocks on Bellandra's door: "Ahoy, arr, matey, ye 'aven't yet spied the garden an' greenhouse o'er there. Come with me. Ye'll love it!"
While leading her on the visit to the former cook's cabin, she chatters with Bellandra, but only a few sentences can be understood, due to her inebration state... "...ye jolly mate..." "...lasses stan' fer each other" "Not tryin' it any more, matey" "...some p'pl can't ev'n get the most 'vious signs..." "...guess bein' in dry dock be not so bad after all"

"Good morning, Captain Aylar," Aeshma said seeing Aylar so early at her door. She smiled brightly at his witty apology, then looked again as he told her there was work to be done. She unlocked the door, then followed as he went straight in, somewhat impatiently. "I admit I didn't expect to see you back so soon. Your potion is ready, although I could have had it delivered. So what else I can do for ..." Aeshma's pleasant musical voice trailed off as she saw the feather he had taken from his coat's hidden inner pocket and now held in his hand before placing it on the table between them. She reached out a fingertip, barely brushing the feather and looked at him in wonder.

Aylar regarded her seriously. "In part, I be here for me wish, but naturally, there be more to that. Here be the material, and the weave be waiting," the charm in his hair moved ever so slightly, "but for us to work our trade, I be needing to know just what exactly I be working with, and who exactly I be warding." He leaned back, supporting his head with one hand, as if setting for a proper listen. "I know ye know, and I do need someone other to tell in her stead so to run a circle around the conditions of this thing. I be looking to give everyone involved the best chance possible."

"Do you know what this is?" Aeshma whispered the question to him, still stunned that Polly had done it. "It's a heart feather. What did she say when she bestowed it upon you?" her words were almost breathless. "And I know she bestowed it upon you, Captain, because there simply isn't any other way to get one, no matter how much or how many alchemists, wizards and sages have tried. What did she say? Tell me exactly." Her eyes were bright now, her voice stronger. There was a chance. If she was right, there was a chance!

Aylar told her, word for word, and Aeshma nodded. "You are correct, she meant you to be free." She sighed, "But she also meant for you to use it to ward yourself and the Ship against her. To use it against her should it come to it." She paced the room. "Arrgh, I can't tell you! It's the darn ... wait ...." Maybe. Maybe she could, but another way. "Argy has a book of fairy tales. See if you can borrow it and I can give you a page number. That's not me actually telling or showing you. And don't let that out of your sight or off your person!" She motioned for Aylar to take and put the feather back and shooed him out the door, then sank into the chair he had vacated. Oh 'Polly', you never thought of yourself, did you? You wanted to free him and protect them all and you never once considered what might be done. Well that was just too damn bad, if Captain Aylar was willing.

When Aylar returned with the book Aeshma quickly glanced at the contents, then put the book down, wrote down a page number on a piece of paper and walked away while Aylar looked up the page in the book. He nodded, then closed the book and put it down. It all made sense now. He chuckled. What a pair, but his kind and hers had been allies before. It was simply a different kind of storm, more controlled and focused, but perhaps well matched after all.

Aeshma locked her door, warded it against any sight or sound and then asked Aylar to please ask the Ship to do the same, knowing he had that power now. Then she sat across from him. "Are you ready to hear a tale, Captain?"

When he had asked the Ship and nodded, she took a deep breath to begin. "There was a ship, with a special duty. It was an important duty, it ferried those to whom another chance had been granted, another life so to speak. Its captain was bound to the ship and the ship guarded the crew. Then the ship ran afoul of three Sea Hag sisters that sought ... well, you know well enough what they sought, don't you Captain? Polly was there, you see the captain was ... he was her mate in many ways. Polly is Elysian, as am I. There was another force behind these three and they pulled the ship and it's crew through some sort of portal, twisting the magick and trying to steal their very spirits. The captain did what he could, but couldn't Ward in time. To save the ship, and them, Polly used everything she had to turn the magick, stripping herself literally to the bone ... but it was not quite enough quite in time. It left them zombies, undead, and to punish her this force left the captain tied to the ship, and the ship and spirits tied to her. Then it placed them all in a type of madness, trapping them with a Kraken until they would kill others sent into this place, or themselves by going against the Kraken. Gilius was a part of the group that this place, this entity, sent onto that ship. But they cooperated and won free ... but lost Cap'n B in the process. Polly has spent the last, well years to her, on the Weirding Sea with Gilius helping her, freeing every spirit that was so trapped, except Cap'n B. He's the last lost, and she means to free him too, even though she knows that he will move on without her. And she means to shut the door and repay those Sea Hags in the doing of it."

Aeshma regarded Aylar, looking closely at the fey charm he had wrought. Would he be willing? Polly wouldn't accept it unless he knew it all. That was her way. "There may be a way, Captain. A way to free ye both, to ward and protect as she wanted, but also ... a sharing," she glanced at the charm in his mane again. "It would take but a single bead, carved by your hand, but from this," Aeshma brought forth a branch of a cinnamon tree she had bought at the bazaar, strangely not knowing then exactly what she would do with it but that it represented Polly. "This is very important ... An acceptance if you're willing, a protection shared one to the other and back again, a freeing of both using what residue is still there, then turn that residue and use the storm within your own blood to combine and shatter those chains ... a warding and shielding woven in from the feather's power, then bring both back here. We slip the single bead over the feather and see if it accepts you, and you it, placing it above your other charm. Be here at sunset and we'll see if it works. She'll try again tonight if I know her, but her doubt has been holding her back I think. This," Aeshma waved her hand towards him. "might be the key for both of you." Even if Polly hadn't quite thought of it that way, Aeshma thought but didn't say.

-----
GM Note - The story Aeshma is telling relates to Doc's 2019 Enter my dungeon if you dare ... Northern Tunnel forum dungeon game, where you will find Polly and Gilius.

Gilius had been relieved to have survived the Grung, and quite pleased at the compliments of Count Karnstein, but was worried about the new witch. Surely Polly wouldn't have brought aboard a voodoo witch, would she? They seemed to know each other, and Refyx too, although Refyx seemed to call her an airhead. And what was a Half-Aasimar anyway?

At the celebration, Gilius had a fine time, stuffing himself at the feast with food and drink - except that coffee, horrible stuff - and then relaxing in the sun listening to the music and festivities. He had burped away the day just enjoying the present moment.

Once he returned to the Ship, Gilius was surprised, then overjoyed to see Cap'n Rummyfangs motioning at him wildly. Gilius immediately ran over to stroke him and his fur, but then he saw his hand go through the Felinoid. Understanding dawned about Rummyfangs' new form. Gilius was sad, although the fact of seeing Cap'n Rummyfangs again did cheer him up a bit. At least he was still there... even though it was no longer quite the same.

While anchored at the island, Polly caught Gilius looking over at Aeshma's shop, and realized suddenly that Gilius didn't know about Aeshma's ancestry. She flew up beside him and looked at him sadly. "Gilius, ye and I escaped that thrice becursed place and have sailed the Weirding Sea together. Do ye really think so little of me that I would bring a dark magick user aboard?" Her wing barely brushed his hand. "Aeshma is half-Aasimir, that means she be descended from celestial folk ... angels, Gilius, she be a small part angel. Better yet, she's worked with Druid magick before, although it be fey and elvish folk, but still she knows the Druidic way as well as her own. She's here to help. And true to me promise to ye, she's here to help clear the forces that still blocks both of us, which it be my hope may also restore yer own magick back to ye." Polly looked deep into Gilius' eyes. "Do not let fear bind ye, Gilius. If I can work through this, then so can ye my friend. We've been through too much, come too far. She be bringing something special for ye, she just has yet to attune it. Give her a chance, Gilius, for us both."

-----
Aeshma was puttering and she knew it. She had sent Captain Aylar away and tried to keep her mind on preparing her orders as she waited to see what he would do and decide. She was fidgety and impatient and frankly trying to steady herself somewhere between hope and heartache when Grog'tial walked into the shop.

"Hello, Grog'tial. How may I help you today?" She smiled but something was very wrong her senses told her, and it didn't bode well that she was already edgy today. She watched closely as Grog'tial pulled out a vial.

A strong wind gusted through the shop from the open porthole, swirling the notes and orders and pushing Grog'tial back against the slamming door. Aeshma had turned quickly to close it, giving herself time to calm and reduce the furious shine in her eyes. Calm down, remain calm. Oh Lady of Wind and Storm, why now? So close, why now? She latched the porthole closed and turned again, but did not attempt a false smile. Instead she let the Sight guide her now.

"You want to know what it is, am I right?" she asked Grog'tial, her voice almost eerily calm. "It is no good. It is an undeath, and should you use it, it will bind your soul as well. I cannot believe it hid itself from Polly, except that must have been the time she was working to release Cap'n Rummyfangs from it's grasp, to free his spirit. Use that, Grog'tial, and yours will never be freed. But go ahead. You don't want honesty, do you? You don't want your second chance. You would rather she be forced to destroy your soul and let you rot, never to return. So be it. I be done with you. Face now what you have wrought. Use that, and even your Shell will desert thee. Now Get Out!" With that she asked the Ship internally to open the door and then let the winds free to blow him from her sight. Then Aeshma spun around, called on her heritage, and whispered to the air.

A subtle breeze blew by Aylar's ears, and as he heard, his fey charm moved in his hair.

Kyp settles down after a long day of teaching swimming...

"He did good... hopefully it will serve him well"

Kyp decides to end the day eating some fish he had one of the turtles get for him and drink some ale to lighten the mood and rest

Kyp had settled down after a long day of teaching swimming, eating some fresh fish as he reported to Polly. "He did good... hopefully it will serve him well"

Polly dropped her head and shook it at Kyp, while clacking her beak in amusement. "Thank ye, Kyp. I appreciate it greatly. However, Argy be a her, not a him. Halfling yes, but still a her." Argy a him ... Polly shook her head again and laughed inside as she left Kyp to his meal. Ah, well, Kyp still had finding a home on his mind and didn't yet realize Polly was hoping to be working on that little task soon enough. Which reminded her to check on Bhrigu's progress ...

A couple hours later after alternating bouts of 'just when ye think ye have the puzzle piece, oops no that's not quite it,' Polly left Bhrigu to his work. She wasn't helping him by hovering over his shoulder and she was unusually agitated, which meant the Ship was agitated by something ... but what? Polly was about to inquire deeper when she heard Argy slurring her words as she invited Bellandra to the Cook's greenhouse. Oh my! Spinning quickly on the literal fly, Polly went to hopefully head off disaster, not noticing how the Ship had subtly redirected her query...

A short time later, and greatly relieved and thankful of the Spectral Cook's tolerance and graciousness, Polly contemplated what she had thought she heard in Argy's slurred speech. Remembering Argy hugging Grog'tial on deck before going off to the swimming lesson yesterday, Polly closed her eyes and contemplated a rather disturbing thought, reliving again certain instances in her mind with picture perfect recall. Argy ... Grog'tial? Surely not. She had thought Argy was teasing, but now having felt the Halfling's feelings closer to the surface. Oh bother. She had been shielding her natural empathy unless needed, out of respect for the Crew's privacy. She didn't need this right now. She really didn't need more twitterpation! ... And come to think of it, where was Grog'tial anyway? It was almost as if the Ship was directing her away from him while she kept being needed for one thing or another. There was something ...

"Polly!" Refyx called. Wonderful. Now what? However Refyx was telling her something about the new Magic Missile bolts, no Explosive Bolts he was calling them, and could she just ...

For once Polly didn't notice as Aeshma watched from her doorway and then turned and thanked the small air elemental who had carried her message to Refyx. The witch then looked over to Aylar and nodded. Between them they would keep Polly away from Grog'tial until things were decided.

-----
GM Note - still awaiting some developments in the works, as well as bhrigu. bhrigu has a role to play here and I have been reluctant to just post his character rather than hints. bhrigu informed the GM of their return, but I have not had responses to PMs since. I am hoping after the traveling that bhrigu is okay. Nevertheless, the Briefing will have to go forward tomorrow as Thursday afternoon I will have another eye appointment and probably not be seeing too well for a while afterwards. Please feel free to continue your roles and stories as you like and we'll see how it all turns out.
Grog'tial? Really Argy??? :P

Captain Baldbeard's eyes sparkled like the Black Onyx gem he now desired. "I would much appreciate that, lass. Twould be a useful buttress to my skills"

Somewhat shaken by the intensity of Aeshma's identification of the vial, Grog'tial carefully puts it away again, rather glad for the lucky coincidence of the Grung's poison immunity keeping him from using it on the previous mission. I be keeping this as my last-ditch 'collapse the cavern on our very heads' option, then! Should make for a good threat, too!

Given his realization about Polly's need for the crew, Grog'tial finds it essential to step up his intelligence gathering on the crew. He's been lying awake some nights, thinking - in between maudlin thoughts on why Circeana didn't show interest in the pearl - about the hidden currents moving about the ship. But for all his thinking, he's not been paying them particular attention, due to believing most of them to have little to do with him - other than for the possibility of being directed by his half-brother's vexingly elusive agent(s). (Clearly once he's identified them, he'll have to turn them and add them to his own network, for they are good!) Now, though, he has new reasons, and the extra purpose gives his step a decided bounce.

It's useful just how many nooks and crannies a ship has, for it allows Grog'tial to find places to stand in, just out of sight, and observe who is meeting whom, and sometimes even listen in a bit on what they're talking about. When later that night he spies Argy meeting up with Bellandra, his worries about her suspicious behaviour cause him to take out his shell and listen in.

As realization dawns, he has an uncharacteristic moment of wanting to tell her that his heart already belongs to another - before he comes to his senses and starts to tabulate just how many opportunities for manipulating her this offers...

"That it would, Captain Baldbeard," Aeshma agreed. "I'll pick it out and start working on it directly. Would you prefer it as an earring, or just a ring?" She noted down his preference, thanked him again for the music, and left him with the sound of the tiny bells tinkling at her belt as she walked.

-----
Grog'tial carefully put away the vial, somewhat shaken by the intensity of Aeshma's identification of it. He decided to keep it as his last-ditch 'collapse the cavern on our very heads' option, which should make for a good threat, too he figured. With his perceived realization of Polly's need for the crew, he also decided it would be essential to step up his intelligence gathering on the crew. He had been lying awake thinking, but not truly paying attention, due to believing most of them to have little to do with him - other than for the possibility of being directed by his half-brother's vexingly elusive agent(s). Now, though, he believed he had new reasons. Grog'tial investigates the nooks and crannies of the Ship, finding places to stand in, just out of sight to observe who is meeting whom. Later that night, when he saw Argy meeting up with Bellandra, his worries about her suspicious behaviour had him quickly taking out his shell to listen in.

Unfortunately for Grog'tial, he also had not paid attention to the rumors of Cap'n Rummyfangs watching over the Crew, nor his favorite game of 'cat and mouse' through the walls of the Ship while trying out new things in his spectral form.

-----
It was just after sunset when Aeshma looked up to see Aylar enter her door. The table had been set up with a circle of protection drawn and to one side were different color threads for him to chose for the weaving. Aeshma turned to ward against sight, sound and this time outside magicks as well, then looked at Aylar. "Please request a shielding, Captain. The magicks could be fairly strong and we don't yet know the strength of both curse and geas for the breaking."

That done, Aeshma put a few more protections into place, but did not touch the circle or any of the materials again. This was for Aylar to do. She instructed him to put both the bead and the feather in the center of the circle, then slip the bead over the feather to see if the first was accepted. If so he was to proceed forward with intent. Aeshma was there only for the protections.

A while later and it was done to Aylar's satisfaction. Aeshma nodded approvingly. "You have a talent for it, Captain. Now to see if it works."

Once the course was set, Aylar nodded to himself. It was time. He patted the wheel, assurance from the Ship that all be looked after in his absence trailing through his mind. Quickly surveying the Crew on deck going on about their duties, all accounted for, he headed towards Aeshma's workplace once again.

Quiet greetings exchanged, measures and wards set as instructed, Aylar regarded his workspace, then put the chair aside, leaving his coat atop it. He would have to stay standing and clear away from many an object for this one. Aeshma was right, the level of attunement and sheer power of magic involved was much higher this time, and would he even be able to handle it all? He be thinking he was decent at making these for himself, but an entire- Aylar stared at the feather in his hand again, then shook his head decisively. The path would be well cleared for him, and he would have backup if anything went wrong.

He set the bead and the feather in the center of the circle, nodding when both objects responded, brushed his fingers across the offered threads, committing the selected colors to memory, preparing the ones he was to call on, then slipped the bead over the feather and focused. A sense of light vertigo came over him briefly, but he kept steadfast, mind flitting across the Ship as effortlessly as his physical body would have climbed over its rigging and swung about the ropes, in part retracing the steps he taken in the day. Quickly he gathered about the sense of the vessel, and Crew working dutifully and milling relaxed alike; here be me dwelling-place, these be me people. In but a few blinks of a mortal eye he reached the bow, taking restraint to not sneak up on the spectral parrot perched on the railing; instead, he simply made his presence known, almost sauntering. He knew that she could pick up on him having started his work, the initial wards slowly drinking in power on that table before his physical self, but that was but a part of it. Amusement and slight chiding, he sent over, have ye really thought this to exclude you? making his intent and his offer fully known, then laughing as the stunned silence was a response. There was no doubt in his intent, though his unmoving body in the healer's cabin let out a relieved exhale as soon after, acceptance was given, and off Aylar raced, all but vaulting back into himself, eager to finally begin the main event.

On the table, the threads started to move, invisible hands picking them up one by one; purple sneaked its way into the bead, spirits beyond, joined by blue, spirits within - quickly they bound around and over and to each other, and he hummed contentedly, feeling the weave wrap around the place and people in it, then let the magick flow freely as the green threads spun around the core of the charm, carrying his intent along with them. Here and there, but a sighting of yellow, orange, red, orange, yellow, like a fire only starting to burn, as he weaved her into the protection, too, and then finally, many shades of red, seemingly all there could ever be, though there was but only one color of thread on offer.

Aylar opened his eyes and leaned over the table, scrutinizing the completed charm. "You have a talent for it, Captain." Aeshma nodded approvingly, as he picked it up, trying to spot the feather through the weaving of therad. "Now to see if it works." "Aye, let us see," he muttered in response. "Be ready to keep up yer shielding, have a sense it might get rough, wouldn't want anything to get knocked about." Breath held in anticipation, he joined it to the self just as he had his first charm-

-and then he was back in Her hold, dangling from the chains in a deep-sea cavern where the sun never shone. How many days, nay, months, years was it? His Mary taken into her collection, his Crew made her slaves, while she prattled and battered about his cage uselessly, waiting for him to crawl over and offer his heart on a silvered platter. There be the door, there be the undersea lake, there be the stalagmite three paces from the lakeshore he had named Long John Limestone. Tendrils of fear shot through his mind, somewhere far, deep inside, but he hushed them. Let be teach ye what I did back then, fer a long while, then pulled with all his might, bracing against the restraints, again, again, and again, and again, until finally, they ripped to pieces like a rotten rope, only a memory of a struggle, something he had already done a long time ago. "The thing about chains, ye see", he thought, kicking the door out of the cavern open and walking down the winding cave path, eyes trained on the faintest of glows somewhere in the distance; the thing about chains be, as it be about many things, they nae be perfect. So, if ye rattle and struggle and be an absolute worst prisoner, ye see- The further he walked, the brighter it got, until finally, he came upon a sheer wall of fire barring his progress. Aylar raised a brow at it, as if daring it to do anything, a magick drawn and taken unwillingly making for a poor deterrent; a gust of wind barreled down the cave tunnel with his approach and slammed right into the inferno, howling like a wraith, and chancing an opening, he forced his way in, for they be getting frayed and banged up the more utter and complete disdain ye show the equipments of ye host and the craftings of whatever unlucky smith devised those poor bonds. There they were, hanging all around him, like an unspooling spider web, and he kept marching on, pulling along as more and more caught and wrapped round him, fire raging ahead of him and the storm howling behind and all around him.

He could feel the remains of whatever magick of that hag left on him crumbling and burning away, fleck by fleck, so he pulled, and ye pull, and pull, and pull, for I came to fetch ye from this place, to break ye form and name unbidden. One by one he knew the chains of hers snapping away, and so he called bright and sure, with a touch of that smug bravado over a plan schemed and won; a new name I offer unto ye, follow me out of this place, Clíodhna! and stepped forward, opening his eyes back in the healer's cabin.

Dazedly, Aylar looked about the room, eyes searching for Aeshma. "Cor blimey," he laughed in a shaky voice once he did find her, "that was quite a trip! I suppose I ought to help ye clean up?"

Polly watched as the red of the sun's final rays streaking the horizon began to slowly fade, and the indigo of approaching night stole in softly. Red sun at night ... not unlike ...

Polly felt the protections engage, magickal shields raise about the Forecastle. They had started then. She felt the Ship responding, as Aylar took it in hand and gathered it and the Crew into the working, the protections and the seal. She bled her own magicks into stabilizing the tidal flow, doing as she could without interfering with his work. She felt the energies rising, the feather building from what she had freely given to lend it power. He came then and she felt the truth of his essence, almost sauntering, a confidence underpinned by purpose, that rakish grin slightly chiding as his eyes spoke of pure intent. have ye really thought this to exclude you? Stunned shock coursed through her as she suddenly realized what he knew of her own truth now, and yet what he would still dare. He was supposed to be freeing himself, warding them all, not trying to break her own chains along with his. The offer was there, and there was no doubt whatsoever in his intent. He knew what he risked, freely offered ... she reached back, accepted and freely given.

The threads of the magicks began to move, the energies of two different yet similar storms began to intertwine. She set herself to brace and for the first time in a very long time reached for that place beyond, gathering the light energies of the very stars that called to her inner being and ready to lend it. In her minds eye she saw the colors he chose and nodded at his instinctive understanding. For his craft was worked not by scholarly learning or wizardly seeking, but from a deeper place, a place of ancestral understanding of the warp and the weft of the weaving, the energies and songs of storm and thunder and the blood now matched to those of fire and the internal light of a thousand suns. He wove them together with skill and a deft magickal hand, a humming building in the weave and a song answering the tune in the magick itself.

Then it was done, and she closed her eyes, and sent every bit of protection and Guardian's warding she had ever known in her centuries to his aid, shielding him, the Ship and the Crew. She felt the joining, knew his fight, felt the tendrils of fear in both his and her own mind that sought to weaken them, and she could not reach him yet to help, to gently brush them aside or turn them away - and so she must fight her own so as not to pull him down. She screamed, the Guardian Soul of her enraged and threw herself at the cage, struggling to reach him, desperately unwilling to see another of hers be possibly taken. The barrier yet interfered, but his Will was strong, and so, frustrated, she slammed down her control and held steady as possible for him to do what was needed, shining a light through that place for him to follow. "There is a way out of darkness ... you walk through it," she whispered to him. She felt the pull of the restraints, but his relentless determination would not be denied, again, again, and again, and again showing her how it was done, until they ripped and unraveled and he walked free from that place, that old prison never accepted, following the light, to face the fire. Now he knew, now he saw with clear eyes her own magicks turned to a prison, and still he insisted on coming. He trusted Aeshma to hold the protections, and she realized now he trusted her enough to walk into the inferno. She saw him raise a brow at it, as if daring it to do anything. He was not done and the intent said he was not leaving without her. The wailing wind slammed into the inferno and the chains rattled and cracked. He followed the wind, unrelenting, forcing his way through as she reached from the inside, shaping the fire, controlling its living essence and understanding its ways as only one of her kind could, burning away the last of his bindings as he pulled and snapped and shattered the last of hers. The magicks merged, melded, danced, and annhilated the last remnants of any shackle or restraint on them. He called then, bright and sure, with a touch of that smug bravado over a plan schemed and won. A new name offered, a name old and ancient of a people she had known, and she knew he spoke from his ancestry and to her own. Follow me out of this place, Clíodhna!

Eddies and energies of dancing wind and light had erupted around the Ship and the Crew throughout this. Aurora Borealis of all hues had ranged overhead and while the Ship held the course there had been a time or two the Crew had felt a shuddering beneath their feet, and then a leaping as if another anchoring chain was cast free. There was the sound of splintering, as the figurehead at the bow shed the undead look entirely and its eyes glowed blue momentarily, before fading back away.

Clíodhna leapt from the rail to the sky, shattering the parrot guise into a thousand shards of light as a new star rose over the Ship in light and flame as if to outshine the sun, casting even below decks into shadow free golden light. A myriad of reds and crimsons shone from her body, leading to fiery oranges and bright golds, then came the blues, indigo and the royal purple tips of the wing feathers and now long trailing tail feathers, all giving off light and surrounded by spectral flame. The wild magick flared and was brought back under control once more as the ethereal Phoenix slowly shrunk from her natural 30' wingspan back down to the more manageable size of a hawk and alighted back on the bow rail, waiting for him.

When he came this time, no parrot's squawk or screech reached his ears. Only a clear musical tone as written in the songs of old, tinged with a knowing amusement. "Twas quite bold of ye, Captain Aylar."